New-York tribune., 1902-12-07
NEWS OF TWO CAPITALS
LONDON.
OPENING OF AssOUAN DAM MARKS NEW
ERA FOR EGYPT
DELAY IN PROVIDING MUNICIPAL WATER
SUPPLY FOR LONDON-METHoDS
IN THE REICHSTAG.

Especial to The New-York Trfbu-e BY French csolse
Copyright 1902: BY Tribune Associatiorl
London, Dec 6.-The opening of the Assouan
Dam by the Duke OF Connaught Monday
will be signal proof of the enlightened meth
DDS of British policy England drawn into
Egypt by the necessity for protecting the navi-
gable waterway to India. and compelled
to remain in spite of Mr.. Gadstone's pledges
that the occupation would be temporary. The
permanency of British occupation has been
justified by the thorough reform of adninistra-
tion and by the marvellous Improvement OF
the condition Of the population The Assouan
dam and the Assiout barrage are monuments
of British engineering skill and Progressive.
policy These great works which have cost
between f20O0O.O0O and f25.0OO.0O0. will sys-
tematize irrigation. impart security crops
and stability to harvests and widen the area
of the Nile lands under cultivation. The
nual flood, with the fertilized silt and soil. has
already passed. and the sluices of the Assouan
dam closed for the storage OF water
until March 1. The sluices viii then be opened
gradually and for four months there will be a
good head Of water in the Treery irriga1ing
canal for the OF cultivators- The scarcity
of water caused by low Nile will be avoided.
and great increase in the agricultural re-
sources of Egypt will be brought about
The Nile will be held I'D by a dam hun
Ored IeeJ CnIck at the DdSe. ana valley dDCte
it will be flooded for fifty miles Experts. max
ing striking comparison. calculate that the
reservoir will hold water enough for q years
full supply TO every town and village in the
United Kingdom The engineering works also IN
clude open weir or barrage at Assiout. a org
way down the Nile by which the distribution ot
water from the great reservoir is secured Jver
a large area. These costly works. planned ny
Sir Benjamin Baker. financed by Lord Crprr-r
genius Of the English people for ordering
the progress of semi-civilized races
A nation which is so great in administering
the affairs Of dependent States also be In
credibIy sluggish in providing for the uecessi-
ties OF its metropolis The London Water
bill will be taken up by Parliament the very
day on which the Assouan dam is brought into
use. London is the only great city in Christen-
dom which has systematically neglected water
supply The metropolis ought long ago TO
have tapped fresh sources Of supply IN the
Welsh highlands, but it has remained in bond
age TO the vested interests of the water COM
panies The fellaheen have been aided but the
poor unwashed East siders have been neg
lected.
The Water bill. which is flung at an exhaust
ed Parliament hopelessly bored with talk about
education and catechism is not a comprehsn-
sive measure for securing permanent, mex
haustible supply like the Assouan reservoir.
but a tentative measure for opening negotts-
tions with the wealthy water companies. While
the bill has been improved this week by amend
ments, it is an inefficient scheme. condemned
in advance by the royal commissions and the
practical experience of great provincial munic
ipalities, opening the sluices for vested privi-
1ege and providing Inadequate storage Tor popu-
lar representation
E,ouaIly sluggish and ineffective has BEEN the
government scheme for supplying a national
system of education for which there is as w-
gent need as for permanent water Suppy
for the metropolis The debate on the Educa-
ttou bill in the House of Lords and the vote for
a. second reading have proved the IndlIIeroh6s
of 4he titled class as to the waste OF a sreas
oroo-runIty for practical craftsmanship LORD
RosebervIs powerful speech which VIII 90
much TO reconcile the NoneOnformlsIS 10 nfs
intimate return 10 the responsiveness Oh A-ip-
aro1 1aadsrsbip. was the only adequate ana
commemorative presentation of the SUBJECT ano
his treatment of the religious question was
singularly lucid and judicious- The Tory lordS
a,5 the EniscopaI bench were not open to ar
/ e,rn,ent but were content with the party CON-
promise for saddling the costs Of religious ef~~
! cation upou the ratepayeTs. with fnadequats
control The indecent haste with "hich sn1>
measure is rushed through the Upper ho"S7
4 offers a marked contrast with tne deHOe'atiot
with which Mr. Gladstone's scheme ror ne
reconciliation of Ireland was blocked 5y rns
titled legislators
,,,,,ua tho British House Of Lords provides an
osfoti,,a barrier against liberal leglSiation' ana
| mechanically opens the sluices Icr IotS party
na tbe German Reichstag is setting IN
/ 7sr \ new parliamentary procedure lot pass
;o, i, fr111 flood without hindranee. measures OF
,ror,e-dous Importance. at the dieuauoh OF
oa,,ss in the feichstas this week have again
sceii'' ',I,sIAa in German political history.
=. .ho massage of a tariff bin en- bloc by tho
- f ssrarians CentTalsts. National LID
It md Conservatives seems a foregone con-
I,,sfon The Chancellor has arranged a coup
,,e,o+ IN, which minorities VIII be crushed and
a precedent established for the faeile enact
~,Art of repressive measures against the So
oIa15s+s If they make themselves troublesoms
after the next general election
Contain aIarshaIFs play, The Unforeseen
nh lie roughly criticised by the dramatic writer's,
i,stis4s the verdict OF the first night audience
bv, dlling the Haymarllet nightly While there
X a tragic note in the first act, it IS nrlghr,
interesting drama, full of comic Dy2lay and
snarkIng dialogue. Il is open to the objection
of having a stage made plot. with too many
wires for moving the puppets. but the merits
outweigh the defects Mrs Langtry has secured
the distinction of royal send-ofI for ner Amer
lean tour in a special performance OF Nfhe
Cross-ways,' written By herself and Hartley
Manners The King. Queen. Prince OF Wales
and many court dignitaries and smart people
will he in front of the stage, and everything
will be done 10 commend the play 70 the hospi-
rality of American audiences
The most popular but the least reputaoie