The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-03

mile and quarter long; 1870 feet high
from the rock bottom; So feet thick at
the case and 26 feet wide at the top,
where there is roadway guarded by
walls which take the place of bridge
which has long been needed. The dam
contains 100000 tons of masonry and
about $4,000 tons OF steel. The masonry is
of rough granite blocks laid in cement,
and the materials have been taken from
quarries which for 1000 years supplied
stone Tor the obelisks, pyramids, temples,
tombs and palaces OF Egypt. There are
$50 sluices through which the water can
be released when it is needed and they
are fitted with steel gates that can be
handled by electric machinery. Every
convenience and apparatus known to
science has been applied where it is
needed, and if this dam had been built
thousand years ago it would have been
ranked among the wonders of the world.
1t is one of the greatest engineering tri-
umphs in history. It's construction has
been immensely more difficult than the
Suez Canal, and it differs from that ia
nous public improvement in the import
ant particular that no money was stolen
or wasted.
The dam was designed by Mr.. William
Willcocks, an English engineer, in CON
sultation with Sir Samuel Baker and Sir
Benjamin Baker; the foundation stone
was laid February u, 1899, by the Duke
of Connaught. and the formal completion
was announced December 10, 1902. by the
same gentleman, the brother of the king,
when the khedive turned key which
put in motion the electric dynamos which
are to furnish the power to operate the
sluice gates.
The construction of this dam creates a
reservoir 140 miles square, which is ca.
pable of storing several billion tons of
water The difference in the level of the
river above and below the dam is 81 feet,
and navigation is assisted by a series of
four locks, each 400 feet long and Sc feet
wide. They will save great delays and
cost in the transportation of merchandise,
which is one of the most important bene-
fits to be derived from the enterprise
Formerly navigation up the rapids was
very expensive and tedious, for all the
boats had to be towed by Nubians at
considerable cost.
During the construction of the dam an
average OF II 900 men were employed for
more than three years, of whom 900 were
Italian stonemasons, and they laid an
average of 5000 tons of masonry each
working day.
One of the great drawbacks of the en-
teTprlse is that the beautiful ruins of an
cient pagan temples upon the Island of
Philae will be partially submerged at
high water and some of them viii be en-
tirely covered when the reservoir is full.
Sir Benjamin Baker and Sir William
Garstin, who have been supervising en-
| gineers in behalf of the government, Of
! fered to remove the ruins from the is
land, but their plans were not approved
| They have strengthened the pillars and
! the important ruins by steel girders and
BRACES
1t Is intended to utilize the water of
| the cateracts, now running entirely to
waste, in a great electric plant like that
| at Niagara Falls, to supply heat, light
| and power to the towns on the upper
| Nile, which will doubtless attract manu-
| Histories, for plenty of labor is to be had.
/ But of course the greatest utility of the
| dam is to extend the irrigation system
and bring under cultivation the desert
| which comes down to the river ON both
| sides.
| Now that the dam has been completed,
| however, il will be necessary to construct
system of canals and pumping appara-
| tus to convey the water where it is need
| ed. Messrs. Arid and Company have a
| contract for this work at cost of $10,-
| 100000 ON similar terms. That is they
are to be paid in installments as rapidly
as the contract is carried out, and it is
estimated that at least 100 years will be
necessary for that purpose.
Various enthusiastic estimates are
made as to the area of desert that can
be reclaimed and the revenues that will
be derived ny the government. and the
wealth that will be added to the nation,
but it will be many years before eXpec-
tationS can be realized. and SO far as the
cotton problem is concerned, the demand
for the Egyptian staple will increase
more rapidly than the supply. Egypt pro-
duces from 200, 900 TO 1900 900 bales. AS
soon as the water from the dam can be
utilized. the crop will jump perhaps 10000
or perhaps 100000 bales, and gradually
increase uutil the total reaches 1900, 600
bales of 500 pounds each. There it must
stop for years until the irrigation system
is still further extended.
A considerable portion of the land to
be improved belongs to private parties,
who OF course, will have to pay their
share of the cost of the Improvements in
directly, if not directly. The government
has already sold tract of 100000 acres
to a syndicate which will build an irri-
cation system to bring it under cultiva
ton, and sell it for an advance. Most of
the government land is sold at auction.
il bureau under the minister of finance
has charge of such affairs, and when a
man wants to buy tract OF land he en-
ters an application there for it. This
fact is advertised in the official newspa
pers, and bids for the same piece OF prop
erty are invited from other people. The
applicant may be the only bidder. In
most cases he is, but the fact that there
can be competition is protection against
spectators, and nobody can obtain a