Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-07-07
COLONEL HOLMES HOME
With Mrs. Holmes He Returns from
Two-Ycar Trip ON Three
Continents.

Col. and Mrs. Il. F. Holmes arrived
home Saturday night. from southern
California after ain absence IN Europe
and Africa and In the eastern states
of about two years. They have been
for several months in California. where
the rigorous weather that marked most
OF the spring in this section, was
avoided. Previously Col, and Mrs.
Holmes were for time in Chicago
where Mrs. Holmes vas sue
cessfully treated for gastric trou-
They are at the Guardo House. enjoy
ing the calls of friends who are con
graduating them on their safe return
to Salt Lake
Col. and Mrs. Holmes toured Europe
and Egypt in an automobile. The
colonel remarked today that with the
cost OF living in this country, II is
considerably cheaper to travel abroad
in an anto than to remain in the
United States. They toured up and
down through the Balkan peninsula,
as well as through otherf PARTS of
Europe thus, without experiencing any
trouble because of state lines When
asked IL the local customs officers did
not annoy them in crossing from one
country to another, the colonel said
they didn't begin to have the trouble
inspectors on returning from Europe
to this land of the free and the home
of the brave. The American officers
were often oVerbearing and unneces-
sarily exacting in examination of lug
gage but there was no escape from
them. Foreign officers were at least
polite.
Col; Holmes was particularly pleas
ed With his trip UP the Nile He
said, The Nile is magnificent river
People here can have no real idea of
its magnitude until they see it, The
Niles carries an immense volume of
water. which Is now being utilized for
irrigation more than ever before A
proposition is now being made to build
dams clear back to the sources of the
Nile, back 10 the great lakes, so as
TO store such quantities of water in the
spring of the year as will last all
through the heated term until after
harvest time. The cotton belt i'm CON
sequence Is being steadily extended
The building of the Assuan dam has
greatly broadened this belt. but with
the supplies of water that will be
guaranteed from further zip the river,
the cultivated belt is being extended
into the Soudan. In fact. the Soudan
soil Is capable of bearing immense
and profitable crops when once water
is brought 10 IL, Just like hitherto arid
lanus IN ldaho and Utah, so that as
fast as the systems of irrigation are
extended. new lands are being brought
under cultivation. II is only n aues-
ton of time before vast areas Of adj
dltional soil will be bearing profitable
harYests.''
Col. Holmes said Egypt generally
Is enjoying a great boom with prices
of real estate soaring. why, In Cairo
land Is being held al prices that would
be asked for realty In the heart of
London. There Is great Mohammedan
university I'm Cairo where students from
all over Islam gather to be educated
The Koran liz the great text hook 10
which all other lines of study are made
subordinate. Many of the students are
able to repeat the entire Koran. Tho
English language Is being generally
spoken. Ii seemed as though everybody
spoke English. The natives pick up the
language very quickly The EGYPTIAN
government continues essentially Eng
lish, and II is likely 10 remain so. as
under the present regime the country
rs prospering remarkably.
Col. Holmes has not changed any
beyond the loss OF his noustnohe In
which his friends are striving 10 become
used TO. He lunched today at the Com
inerclal club where many citizens were
glad to shake hands with him. The
colonel and his wife win remain here
for the present