The record-union., 1898-05-04
HARNESSING THE NILE.
Using the River for Power as Well
as Irrigation.

Professor Forbes, the distinguished
electrician and engineer, has just re-
turned from Egypt, where, at the re-
quest of the Government, he and his
staff have been for some months en-
gagged on survey of the Nile cataracts.
These famous rapids--for rapids they
are, rather than cataracts, a. tumultu-
Gus word which conveys the idea of
high falls-it was thought might. be
harnessed as Niagara was, and their
power, which has run to waste for SO
many centuries, be utilized for the ben
eft of the Egyptian peoples. Is it not
the engineers province to harness all
the elements? And he positively hates
waste. In obedience to his instructions,
then, the Professor has been seen and
come home again. His report upon the
easibility-fnancial, electrical and en-
gineering-of this suggestion will not be
delivered until September next, but see
ing that SO much interest has been
taken in the big dams at Assouan .and
Assiout, which We're recently described
in these columns there can be no harm
in noting down a few faetsvconcerning
the Professors mission 4a 4af
Professor Forbes made a survey of
Lite tNi1C pilI <tSSOudN, tine SltP &OI the
! first cataract, to a point not far from
I'Abu Hamed, at which, the. fourth cat
afact is situated. The country between
the fifth cataract which occurs be-
tween Abu Hamed and Berber. and the
sixth and last of the famous cataracts,
was left alone for the present. at all
events, though it is believed that scien-
tific irrigation would make it some. Of
the richest country in the world being
formed of ancient Nile mud The
river between the third and fourth cat
aracts was merely traversed, or rough
ly surveyed. The really serious and
detailed Investigations were made at
the first, second and third cataracts.
The question which has got to be set
tied was whether it would be possible
to use the force of the waterfall at
these three points for driving power:
:. First form picture of this famous
river, from half mile toca mile wide.
moving through country mostly
mountainous, sterile and sandy on both
banks beyond the narrow strip Of a few
/ hundred yards on either bank which
is cultivated. It was thought $50 we
lunderstand) that while they were about
to construct the reservoirs for supply
ing the cultivators with a constant sup
| ply OF water for their crops-sugar.
cotton, rice corn and so OMIT might
not be unwise at the same time to see
IL some cheaper means of pumping
could not be devised than by steam
power SO, If the scheme is adopted.
the waterfall will generate the electric
ity, which will be produced in the usual
Way--and supplied to pumping en-
2Ines, factories, work of any sort which
requires power, even the railway engine
--also in the usual way. The begin
ming means heavy masonry work. solid
foundations, tunnelsg shafts. on the
edge of the cataract, which is thus led
into turbines or waterwheels. which
generate the electricity-and there YOU
have the whole process in all it's sim
piicity. Such works will be costly. it is
needless to say. It is the financial as
pect which is always the most difficult.
Given that all existing means Of getting
power are hideously dear, as they are.
whether by fuel or native labor. can
we harness the cataracts at such cost
as will render it commercially benef-
cial? That is the problem Tt remains
to be seen whether it is capable of So
tuition. One of Professor Forbes du-
ties, we believe, was to discover the
wants of the cu1tivators, and already
he has tabulated eighteen distinct in
dustries which would be largely and
immediately benefited by harnessing
the Nile.-London. Standard