Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-12-11
Nile Reservoir and Dam, Asso-
uan, Egypt, Opened With
Much Ceremony.
OF LASTING BENEFIT TO EGYPT
System of Irrigation Now Established
Will Add $500 Square Miles of Ar
able Land to Egypt and Permanent
Benefit Reaching $too,ooO,oo0 The
soundness of Esypts Finances.

/ Assouan, Egypt, Dec. 1.-THE grea
Nile reservoir and dam We're opened
yesterday in the presence of the Khe.
dive, the duke and duchess of Con
naught, Lord Cromer, the British agent
and consul general in Egypt and Lady
Cromer, the ministers and many Other
distinguished persons. The opening
ceremony occurred in the afternoon
when the khedive turned a key which
put the electric machinery in motion
whereupon the sluice gates We're opened
and a great body of water rushed thru
them. The duchess of Connaught then
laid the last stone Of the dam, the foun-
dation stone of which was laid by the
duke of Connaught February IL, 1899
For years engineers in the khedival
service, particularly the engineers OF
the English occupation, have urged the
building of reservoirs that would give
a system of irrigation to Egypt not
wholly dependent upon the uncertain
Nile floods. It was agreed that the
natural advantages of the Assouan
site, six hundred miles above Cairo,
with it's bed Of granite beneath the
river, the high granite banks on either
side and the inexhaustible supply of
stone near by, offered advantages not
equal elsewhere. The plans which
We're soon made were unique. The
dam is for use when the flood subsidies
but while it is still too high for irri-
cation purposes. The dam will hold
the water for use in the parching sum-
mer.
1t is estimated that this irrigation
will add 1900 square miles of arabic
land to Egypt, and that the permanent
benefit resulting will reach S100,0 900.
There will be added to the revenue
from the sale of water and from tax
alton on the irrigated lands s2,0o0,o0o.
The government will further realize
considerable sums from the sale of re-
claimed public lands and indirect rev.
enues traceable to the country's aug
mented predicting capacity.
1t is very difficult to bring to the
average mind any comprehension OF
the magnitude Of this scheme. 1t Is
useless to tell most people that the
reservoir at Assouan will contain L.
000,0Q0,000 tons of water. This reser-
voir, according to Sir Benjamin Baker.
vii! hold more than enough water to
make one years full domestic supply
to every city, town and village in the
United Kingdom with its 100000 in
habitants. During the three or four
summer months when the Nile is low
and the needs of cultivators are great
est the flow from the reservoir will be
equivalent to river double the size
of the Thames in mean annual flood
condition.
The total length of the dam at
Assouan is about one and one-quarter
miles; the maximum height from foun-
dation is about $50 feet; the difference
OF level of water above and below is
81 feet; and the total weight of mason
ry over 100000 tons. Navigation is
provided for by ladder of four locks,
each EGO feet long by 80 feet wide
On February II, 1899, when the foun-
dalton stone of the dam was laid, it
was planned that the work should be
by July 1, 1903 1t is greatly
to the credit of the contractors, Sil
John Arid & Company, that they have
finished before the contract time.
The government let the contract for
this work without advancing a single
pound-a testimonial to the soundness
Of Egyptian finances. After the work
is completed they are to receive $780,
0o0 year for thirty years, aggregat-
ing about s24,o00,oOo. This is a long
credit. and its present actuarial value
can not be much in excess of 10000
00O
Here will be created in the heart of
the African desert lake having two
or three times the superficial area of
Lake Geneva in Switzerland and
throwing back water for a distance
Of 40 miles, crossing the Tropic of
Cancer and extending a goodly step
ON the way to Wady Halfa.