The Opelousas courier., 1901-06-08
THE GREAT NILE DAM.
Importance of the Work That Has Ju
Been Finished at ssoua

Importance of the Work That Has just
Been Finished at Assouan.
From the ages of the dynasties OF
shepherd kings and Pharoahs a "low
Nile" or a high Nile" has meant
dearth or plenty in Egypt. In proper
ton as the river spread it's fertilizing
waters in flood times along it's banks
the crop of the season was assured. II
for one or more years in succession It's
volume fell short famine stared the
people in the face.
Imperial Rome depended largely on
the ~granaries of Egypt for the daily
bread of her populace, but in her great
constructive days she failed to insure
the constancy Of supplies in grain and
other products of Egypt's soil which
is confidently anticipated by the ap-
preaching regulation of the rise and
fall Of the ancient river.
Just two years have passed since
the foundation stones of the great Nile
dam at Assouan was laid. 1t was bell
ded on a high portion of solid rock
and was placed by the Duke of Con-
naught. Across the river, a mile broad
there, the massive wall has been stead
lily built up of ashlar granite, weld
ing together the rocks which form tho
Of the dam is about 5000 feet. lis
strength had to be designed to hold in
reserve for purposes of irrigation a
great of water.
When the river is in food its waters
will gush through the massive sluice
gates. In the autumn months the sluice
gates will be closed until the reservoir
thus formed is full and ready to be
distributed by channels over the agri-
cultural land IN either side. When
the water is most wanted in August
and April for the crops of corn, sugar,
cotton and rice the supply in the low
er river Will be increased from the
reservoir, and thus a fairly even sup
ply Of water will be afforded through
out the year. A canal with numerous
locks is to be constructed to give pas
sage to the Nile steamers and other
traffic.
Commercially, the value of the dam
to Egypt in the future can hardly be
estimated. Its immediate effect, &C.
cording to the Egyptian governments
engineer, will be to bring under cult
walton 600, 900 additional acres of land.
This is in addition to putting certain
districts and levels beyond the ordinary
risks of flood and drought. An area Of
5000, 600 acres, now in fair cultivation
will be converted into land Of the first
efficiency in crop producing qualities.
Over the whole area Sir William Cars
tin, the secretary Of state for public
works, believes the value of summer
crops will be increased by as much as
$50 an acre. Egypt's resources for
growing corn and cotton will thus be
immensely enhanced and are likely to
bring her forward as a competitor in
the worlds markets.
From the engineering point of view
the ~stupendous nature Of the undertake
ing will be realized from the effect it
will have of creating practically a lake
144 miles long impounding more than
], 1000, 900 900 IONS of water. At some
periods of the year, it is said 900, 900
tons a minute will gush through the
sluices. The dam will raise the river
about 65 feet above it's usual previous
level. 1t is broad enough for a car
riage road to run along it's top.
Nowhere else in the Nile valley, says
Sir Benjamin Baker, who has carried
out the work, were to be found such
advantages of site, sound rock, nu-
islands and shadows in which
to work. The openings Of the sluices
are to be lined with cast iron one and
one-half inches thick, SO as to effectu-
ally guard against the destruction from
the constant impact of large volumes
of water at high velocity. The width
of the base of the dam has been made
such that the pressure on the, solid
masonry will be less than that
on any of the other great dams of the
world.-BalIimore Sun.