New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-26

tells that the first time he witnessed the phe
nomenon it was a clear, calm night. Not
cloud was visible. Not breath Of wind wai
felt. Suddenly there was distant roar, as OF
a rising wind coming swiftly nearer and grow
ing as swiftly louder. "El Bahr, the river"
cried the Arabs. And with roar like that OF
an earthquake the food swept past and the
channel few moments before dry and dusty.
was raging torrent.
The Blue Nile is a perpetual stream though
at times it is very low. 1t joins the Nile az
Khartoum, and the rcconquest Of that place VIII
be necessary to secure it to Egypt, though there
is far less danger of any attempt to divert II
than the Atbara.
VALUE OF THE WORK
single incident will show how great prac-
tical value such control of the river, or even a
system Of telegraphic communication between
the lakes and the Delta, would be. Last June
the wellknown explorer Captain Lugard was IN
Uganda. He noticed that the rains were I'M
usually heavy. and Victoria NyanZa was SIX
feet higher than common. lie travelled BACK 10
the east coast and came home By way Of Suez.
When he reached Egypt it was autumn. lie
found that there had been unusually profuse
foods on the Nile in August and September, and
enormous damage had been done thereby.
Had there been dams the river that nooo
might have been held in check for use in future
dry seasons. Had there been telegraph line
from Uganda to Egypt information Of the com
ing flood could have been sent. and such prepa-
rations made for it would nave prevented
most Of the damage which its unexpected ad-
vent caused.
| The returns in pounds. shillings and pence
that would come from an adequate system OF
control OF the Nile in the interest OF Egypt
may be reckoned from what has been already
gained by what has been done since the British
occupation. A few years ago Sir Colin Mon
Grief completed dam across the Damietta
branch Of the Nile. which had been begun years
before by Mahomet Ali. 1t cost $4UVOOV.
And it produced an increase in the cotton crop
alone Of more than S12.500.000 a year! There
Is no doubt that by proper engineering the ara
BILE area Of Egypt can be doubled or trebieo'
and all made fertile as the Delta. ana q
suitable flow of water assured for every year.
regardless OF rain or drouth. Upon such STU
pendous Undertakings Will the British admin
istrators enter when the military expedition 70
Khartoum and beyond has done its work. For
ages the sources of the Nile were one or the
worlds greatest and most fascinating my steries.
That mystery has been solved by Stanley ana
Emn But now In that very region. the great
(
out II is being worked out. but at what cost.
And with what force do the words of the in
spired Gordon. uttered. some Of them. twenty
years ago come back TO mind. Long before the
revolt of Arab he said: Things at Cairo cannot
stay as they are. The Khedve will cease to be
absolute sovereign The disruption OF
the SOudan from Cairo is only question OF
time" When the storm OF Mahdism broke he
said to the British Government: You VIII not
let Egypt keep the Soudan you will not take
it yourself and you will not permit any other
country to occupy it, And at last when the
inglorious policy Of scuttng was adopted by
the Gladstone Government. almost his last
words We're: Some time you will have to come
back and smash the Nah H. and II will cost you
a great dea, more to do il then than II would
10 hold on to the country now" There can be
no more bitter reflection for the British Govern
mont at this time than the recalling Of those
words and the realization Of their exact and alb
solute truth.