Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-14

vent suCh construction and the same Is
probably true of Abyssinia II is also a
possibility of the far future that the rail-
roads OF the French Congo and those OF
the Sudan may be joined.
The Cape to Cairo Line
now about the Cape to Caire roado"
Il doubt whether there will be an all
continuous rail route from Cairo TO the
Cape. We shall probably have a steam
route. and that at no distant time. The
navigation OF the White Nile can he 50
improved that. by the aid of short lines
of railroads around one or two places,
we could send steamers from here to tho
great lakes OF Contra Africa. We are
now sending them as far as Gondokoro
on the borders OF the Belgian Congo. We
have monthly service to that place.
and i is over cleven hundred miles from
khartrm. The "trip there takes about
two weeks: and It is made in comfort
able steamers We have also steamers
going up the Blue Nile and are gradually
exp orlnG the sevcrals branches of the
White Nile. Our steamers on the main
stream Of the White Nile are now carry
ing tourists. and we have boats which
leave on the 18Th of January and 18th OF
February especially adapted to tourist
travel. They are fitted throughout with
electric lights. have hot and cold baths
and some good double berth cabins They
carry sufficient number of stewards and
servants to supply comfortable accom-
modations."
Long Telegraph Route.
The srdar tells me that telegraphic
communication is being rapidly opened
up along the Sudan part of the Cape to
Cairo steam route. khartum has direct
connection with Egypt and through her
with all the rest of the world The wires
ha"a been strung from khartum almost
10 the Belgian Congo, and by the time
this letter is published this place Will
probably be in direct communication
with Entebbe on Lake Victoria near the
source of the Nile. There are now
more than 1000 miles of telegraph work
ing wires In the Sudan; and last year
more than 10000 private kilograms were
sent over them There is one line which
goes to Tewfikieh at the junction of the
Sobat with the White Nile; and there are
wires going some distance up the Blue
Nile. Above Tewfkieh there is a great
swamp through which kilograms are
carried weekly on small oil launches to
another Geographic station farther south.
Moreover, l understand that South Africa
mas run It's telegraph lines almost to
Lake Ianganyika, and that II will be
only short time before those lines will
be connected with the Uganda system.
khartum has telephones and there are
also telephone connections between that
city and Omdurman.
Port Sudan.
The railway terminus on the Red sea
Is known as Port Sudan. The original
intention was to end the road at Sua-
Kin. but the British surveyors found a
much better port a little farther north
and located the terminus of the railway
there This is Port Sudan. 1t lies about
half way down the west coast OF the
Red sea and just OPPOSITE Jeddah. about
900 miles south of Suez The harDor
there Is the mouth OF n creek shaped like
leaf, with the point inland. The water
is 2On feet deep in places. and there il
deep water close to the shore. Just out
side Is coral reef, which protects the
harbor. The British are now dredging
the edge of the harbor. ard they will
have 1t SO that the biggest ocean steam
They are building quay wall of granite
| blocks ne arly a mile long. with electric
traction cranes running upon It, The
railroad tracks will come out upon the
| wall and the freight will be loaded and
unloaded by the cranes into the ships
and the cars. The harbor will be lighted
| by electricity and the be st of coalinR ar
| rangements supplied. The government
mas already planned an expenditure of
s4.too.OOO. and most OF the impro vements
| are well under way
A city on a grand scale has been sur
Veyed about the harbor a park "a being
Planned and the streets are pegged out.
The post and telegraph buildings are
now going up. schoolhouses and gov
ernment offices are being erected and a
dockyard is building. The government
owns all the land about the port, and 1
| see that lots are advertised for lease aud
sale So far but few private buildings
nave been constructed. but the ships are
already landing freight for the Sudan. Six
or seven lines of steamers now make
egular callings there and the prospect
Is that Port Sudan will be the chief port
of the Red sea and the principal place OF
import and export for lower Nubia, and
a large part of central Africa
FRANK G. CARPENTER