The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-02
the AssUAN DAM SCHEMES
Mr.. cope WhitehOuso on English Failures
and Am erioan Plans.

dams has been brought forward by Prof. Atch-
erley and Prof Pearson Of University College.
london. This statement scarcely explains
the exact conditions so a. to make them clear
even 10 engineers, The novelty OF the opin-
ion expressed lies in It's application TO the
Nile reservoir dam. and not 10 any discovery
OF a mechanical principle applicable TO dams
IN general.
In 1910 a French engineer NJ. Nlougel. pro-
posed TO Mehemet All 10 construct a wall
across the two branches OF the Nile. under
which the entire food would pass a. freely
as In the case OF any other bridge But the
arches were fitted with gates by which, when
the Nile curreat had diminished TO an almost
impcrcepuble flow, the water could be headed
w few feet. When Idnant de Bellefonds
was consulted he conceded. Of course, that
II the water was thus raised II would flow
through the irrigation channels at a level
higher than the ordinary level Of the river.
In other words. the silt deposit in those canals
might Do allowed 10 accumulate without
impalTlng their usefulness. The river would
DO raised enough 10 flow at a higher Level.
The only engineering difficulty lay in the
construction. il was necessary TO make
q masonry, briCkwork and concrete pave
ment, about $50 feet wide. on which the
bridges stand This pavement had 10 be
defended on the upstream side against I'M
deTmininE. and the entire works. when COM
pleted. represented a cost Of about ~. 900 900.
II was. however. determined 10 make this
point an extensive fortress. 80 that about
go. ooo. 900 was expended In every stream
running through OF over a soft bottom
tharo is a subteTranean channel. into which
gradually passes the fine sand and material
offering less resistance to the passage Of the
water. Linant proposed to close those parts
OF the river bed which had auicksands and
increase the canal discharges in the dry; but
his opinion was overruled.
when the six Powers guaranteed, In 1885,
q loan OF taboutl t4a. 900 600. after paying
England about 5000 900 for her alleged claim
to an annuity. growing out Of the so-called
purchase" Of the Suez Canal shares, a retired
Angio-lndian engineer who had been en-
More recently be found employment in the
ONCE OF the Secretary OF state for Scotland.
He was given free hand 20 spend 100000
on any new work. lie elected to disregard
the unanimous opinion OF all the engineers OF
pp 20 date methods, and not only have these
but ia as many many more re, have followed them 4
picturesque story by the Hon. Frederic G.
Penned. tho Consul-General appointed by
There wa. . neElev by marisge Of Col;
whose services tho Indian DEPARTMENT OF
Public Works was also willing to dispense.
II was he who persuaded SIR {. Scott Mon.
Lower Nile which wrung the heart Of
Nubar Pasha. and 10 repair the Barrages.
Then he was made director OF reservoir
his mind concluded that similar structure
might be built at Assuan. holding up the
in as" some PLACES Of over 20 i feet. in 1891
this plan, with four others, including the
ReyGn project tas drawn by WillcGcks) was
submitted TO three en- Rineers selected by him.
hsy W so1 Sir R EShGGr SSn9r TS5TSe
French engineer who built the shutter dams"
adopted by the American engineers for the
Great kanawha and other Western rivers.
slmor IoTiceui emerged from obscurtyi
s., 600 and returned 70 enjoy the repose OF the
villa which he had bought with the money.
lSos. In the meantime the Public Works
Ministry had refused 20 allow an American
syndicate OF Chicago CONTRACTOR to make TIE
depression discovered bv me. This refusal
was repeated in a communication made
de. now Minister 70 Servia, on Jan. a. zoos.
Lord Cromer stated that ~ Mr. Core White
house attemp pied TO start a company lin Bos-
he would be prevented hy the authorities
In January. 1905, Willcocks had been con-
srted from t6s strenuous r. SPPS6e6t 81
and had fixed al $500 900 900 the benefit from
u and the raising OF the AsHlan Dam by
neering connection whatever between the
water pended in Nubia, more than $50 miles up-
stream and The desert g.I' lshe, whose canal
seventy miles from Cairo. But the visit Of
Sir 3. Baker, 90 which the special despatch
a scheme TO cover the taking and making OF
the EaySn plans BY Gla1Pbing that t re
two schemes is a wholly novel idea" tParlis-
PAGE 1891 Full credit il given mo for the
CTomer invites the special attention OF Lord
Iansdovne 20 the description OF g. but by
anpeXingit 70 the raising OF the AssuanDam,
nTH aFHff in NWrn IL
Ryan project Immediately became an entire
~ different proposition. For IN So and in 1875
vor dam II appears that This reservoir
may perhaps become OF no account AZ
In IsGs when y vas begin. 20 the dismay
Of the artistic engineering and political ex-
perts 20 was said that 10 would add /. OOO, 900
1908 IL was orlciaiiy stated that the financial
IL had. according TO Mulcocks, disappointed
lord ' Percy rndtrp sscretSry OF state for
FOREIGN Ahalrs. 10 had added 10000 acres,
spoks IN OF its Valuable ss+istaRos ' a. repre-
sented by only 5,OO) acres less than the Gull
tvated surface Of twenty years aso. How
lngeniously made ertra vide. 50 that the
Arid -Baker-Cassel syndicate might receive
dam SepS p bs n tWeRty eet HIS Would
ihe American project The Oriental keeps an
lk lord Cromcr similarly keeps an open
door" for the tourist, but the authorities
are ready 20 prevent any EFFORT . create
IN cheering works, however beneficial. by
American enterprise and capital
Now what Messrs Atcherlev and Pearson
are said 70 have discovered is simple and old
enough. 4 solid dam is built on the calcu- /
lation that the weight OF masonry throurhoul !
its entire length II equal 70 the pressure OF |
the water with a margin Of safety. Rut the |
AsSuan structure Is az open dam, wall /
over $50 sluiceways Consequently. In each |
OF tlpse sewers there f. an upward pressure !
equal TO the downward pressure The lifting /
OF the iron cover Of a manhole In : flooded |
sewer IL common occurrence Therefore, |
IN those sections OF the wall above these slulces
the stability OF the dam IL only that weight /
The upward stress takes all the weight which |
wAs put there 20 balance the downward /
aud horizontal stress. The Wall ~, In theory. !
being twisted, pushed. lifted with varying /
streams assisted by the vibration OF COO /
cubic feet per second n a fire hose were 1
lowered from a building 100 feet IN height i
and the water we're -tll pumped through IL I
I he pressure at the nozzle would tend 20 carry .
the pipe out OF the perpen dicular.
Nhv the A -Bakcr-t asset syndicate did ]
not perceive this uui'i after they had spent /
SIS Ol1 900 or thereAhprts, ard received irTi- /
Patton certificates O., Ired on the Egyptian .
land tar Including even house property IN i
Cairo and AleXandrs, may require eNplana-
ton The fact remains, A open dam must \
bA so built a. 20 carry twice ~ much weight 7
: hove the sluces as would be required for /
= closed dam o. equal n eoPE wHrrtHorsr.
W va. March 20
Ma, q CillRr BakerJ or NoananEP