Lancaster enterprise. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1891-1905, 1901-03-06
THE GREAT NILE DAM.
Importance of the Work Fin.
ished at Assouan.


ished at Assouan.
From the ages of the dynasties
of shepherd kings and Pharaohs
low Nile," or "a high Nile"
has meant dearth or plenty in
Egypt. In proportion as the river
spread it's fertillzlng waters in
flood time along It's banks, the
crop of the season was assured.
Ii for one or more years in sue
cession it's volume fell short
famine stared the people in the
face.
Imperial Rome depended very
much on the granaries of Egypt
for the daily bread of her popu.
lace, but in her great constructive
days she failed to insure the con.
stancy of supplies in grain and
other product of Egypt's soil,
which ls confidently anticipated
by the approaching regulation of
the rise and fall of the ancient
river.
Just two years have passed
since the foundation stone of the
great Nile dam at Assouan was
laid. II was bedded on a high
portion of solid rock and was
placed by Duke of Oonnaught.
Across the river, a mile broad
there, the massive wall has been
steadily built up of ashlar gran.
jts, welding together the rocks
which form the dangerous First
Cataract. The length of the dam
is about 5000 feet. Its strength
had to be designed to hold in re-
serve for purposes Of irrigation a
great mass of water.
When the river is in flood its
waters will gush through the
massive sluice gates. In the au
tum months the sluice gates will
be closed until the reservoir thus
formed is full and ready to be
distributed by channels over the
agricultural land on each side.
When the water is most wanted
Tin August and April) for the
crops Of corn, sugar, cotton and
rice, the supply in the lower river
will be increased from the reser.
voir, and thus fairly even sup
ply of water will be afforded
throughout the year. A canal
with numerous locks is to be con
structed to give passage to the
Nile steamers and other traffic.
Commercially the value of the
dam to Egypt in the future can
hardly be estimated. It's immedi-
ate effect, according to the Egypt
ian governments engineer, will
be to bring under cultivation
100000 additional acres of land.
This is in addition to putting Ger,
tain districts and levels beyond
the ordinary risk of flood and
drought. An area of 100000
acres, now in fair cultivation,
will pc converted into lands of
the first efficiency in crop produc-
ing qualities. Over the whole
. area Sir William Garstin, the sec
retary 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 vii!
thus be immensely enhanced and
are likely to bring her forward as
competitor in the worlds mark
cts.
From the engineering point Of
view the stupendous nature of
the undertaking will be realized
from the effect it will have in
practically creating a lake 144
miles long, impounding more
than 1,000,00O,000 tons of water.
AT some periods of the year, it is
said 100000 tons of water a min
ute will gush through the sluiceG.
The dam will raise the river thus
about 68 feet above its usual pre-.
viOus level. 1t ia broad enough
for q carriage road to run along
its top.
Nowhere else in the Nile valley
says Sir Benjamin Bakor, who
has carried out the work, were TO
be found such advantages of site,
sound rock, numerous islands and