Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-09-03
MADE: TO ORDER
Sahara Desert May Some Day Be
Inland Sea Again.
Engineering Fonts Tin, would Alter
tnc surface aspect OF tho Globo-
No Great Obstacles.

Few people realize how completely of
late years the surface aspect of this
weakened old globe of ours has been
altered and improved.
The world of to-day, In fact, differs
from the world of our ancestors, much
as society lady. In all the glory OF
fold and frill and furbelow, differs from
leniial woods. AS art has transformed
the one, so has 1t the other.
only the Mime. Rachael" who has
made the earth, If not exactly "beauti-
ful forever" ut least pleasant and
healthful place wherein to dwell. is no
cliarlatan With dray load of cosmet-
les and glib tongue, but civil engi-
heer owning nothing more harmless
than few mysterious looking instru-
ments and 4 measuring tape.
And the marvel of 1t all Is this-that
what has been done Is but an intintesi-
nial fraction of that which may, and
doth be q
doubt, for instance. that the great Sa-
nara desert-that mole upon the world S
face-will one day be but a memory?
II was an inland sea once. 1t would
not be very difficult matter to con-
vert 1t into one again.
y cana! sixty miles long, connecting
with the Atlantic the vast depression
which runs close mp to the coast near
~ midway between the twentieth and
thirtieth parallels of latitude. would do
the business beautifully. The water
would NOT. OF course, cover the entire
surface of the desert. Here and there
are portions lying above the sea level.
These would become the ISLANDS OF the
new Sahara ocean.
What would be the results that would
ensue upon this stupendous transfor-
nation? Some would be good and some
Dad. Among the latter may be men
toned the probable destruction Of the
Vineyards OF southern Europe, which
depend for their existence upon the
warm. dry winds from the great Afri-
can desert t
as some compensation for this. how
ever, the mercantile marines of the ma
tons affected would be enabled TO gain
immediate ana easy access 10 vast re-
sions now given over to barbarism.
anu series OF more or less ilourishine
seaport towns woulG spring up all
along the southern borders OF aforoc-
co and Algeria. where the western wa
tershed Of the Nile sinks into the de-
sert. and on the northern frontier of the
Congo Free State.
In similar manner the greater nor
ton OF the central Australian desert,
covering an area OF fully a million
square miles, might be flooded The ISL
and continent would then be rcconyert-
ed into gigantic atoll, and would re-
semble. roughly. an oval dish. OF which
the depressed central portion would be
covered with water and only the rim
Inhabited. lii this connection 1t may
be interesting 10 note that a company
has actually been formed for submerg-
! ing the Yuma desert In southern Cali
| fornla. II the plan, as at present pro-
posed Is carried out tract Of abso-
! lutciy unnhabitable territory comprls-
ins nearly 10000 square miles, and the
greater portion OF which lies between
900 and LOCO feet below sea level, vii
be submerged.
y few OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES as .Litsli
Englanders"-stil! blame the govern
mon, for Insisting upon hersconouss
! OF the Sudan. y useless acquisition,
say they. Perhaps, 4 IA u
| But capable judges believe that "a