The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-10-23

this same country. which sounds very
much like the Wilcox report:
A Land of Plenty
This is, of all lands with which we
are acquainted, by far the best for the
growth of corn. 1t is so fruitful in the
production of corn that 1t yields contin-
TALLY two hundred-fold, and when 1t pro-
luces its best it yields even three hum
lred-fold. The blades of wheat and bar
ley grow there to full four fingers in
breadth, and though | well know to what
a height millet and sesame grow, | shall
not mention it,
The proposed reclamation, according to
the Willcock report, can be completed for
sf0,000,000, and bring under irrigation
more than 100000 acres, which he esti-
mates would be worth at least 800, co.,,
100, or $50 an acre. The Assuan dam sys-
ZEN, which he has recently completed,
cost the Egyptian government SIS 600, 900.
and only about half the area was re-
claimed.
Sir William proposes, by dams and
canals to store the floods that are
brought down from the mountains in
the spring in enormous reservoirs for
use during the summer and has indi-
Gated locations for at least five, which
pose. At least two of these locations
were used as reservoirs by the Baby
lonians and probably by previous civ
ilizations and Sir William will adopt
to modern use the same canals that
were then used to distribute the water
over, the plains Several dry river beds
can also be made available and thus
economic the cost.
After the 100000 acres that will be
first reclaimed have been sold and set
tied the area availab BILE for agricul-
ture can be doubled by the expendi-
ture of S15,000,000 additional and ulti-
mately the gain would be 100000 acres
capable of producing annually, accord
ing to his estimates. 100000 tons of
wheat, 100000 hundredweight OF cot
ton, and fabulous quantities of other
exportable products, in addition to
whatever food Will be necessary to
support a population of a million peo-
pie.
Proposes Building RAILROAD
In addition to the agricultural pro-
ducts he promises pasturage for mil
lions of sheep and goats and hundreds
of thousa nds of cattle in the delta, and
he would build a railway from Bagdad
to Damascus, with branches here and
there to tap the harvest fields. The
total length of this road would be
estimate, it could be constructed for
between 100000 and s11.000,oOo,
The Turkish government has not yet
adopted the report The scheme Is so vast
that 1t bewilders the members Of the
present ministry and the parliament
hasn't the intelligence to grasp, or the
courage to carry out such a magnificent
scheme, However. an appropriation of
$4,000 has been made to rebuild dam
which Sir William Wilcock declares Is
absolutely necessary to protect the small
area now under cultivation. Sooner or
later syndicates doubtless will be formed
to carry out portions of the great plan
by private capital. Several English cot
ton manufacturers are taking serious in
crest in the scheme and are in consul
tation with Sir William Willcock.
The high price of cotton has caused the
manufacturers of Manchester and other
mill districts of England to seek new
sources of supply. The attempts to ex-
tend the volume of the product of Egypt
have not been successful, notwfthstand
ing the investment of $25,000,000 in irriga~
ton plants. The trouble Is chiefly the
lack of labor and the indifference and in
dolence of the fellahs or peasant farmers
in the valley of the Nile Nor can the
product of Egypt be increased to- any
considerable degree without the importa-
ton of labor. Several planters have tried
American negroes, but they wilt under
the climate of Egypt and soon acquire
the habits of the peasants around them.
The experimental plantations on the
west coast of Africa have also been a
sdisa ppointment for similar reasons.
In the British possessions on both
coasts of Africa are millions of avail
able acres for planting cotton, but
they lie idle because there are no
hands to cultivate them. The native
African will not work. He and his
ancestors hayesmanaged to survive un-
til the present day without labor, and
it is difficult to persuade him that the
curse pronounced upon our common
father applies to him as 1t does to
other human beings Nature has sup
piled him with sufficient food thus far.
and he cannot be induced to go In the
cotton fields to earn money that he
mas no use for.
Hard to Get Concessions
These facts. which have given the
Manufacturers of Manchester grea9
concern, are the reasons for the in
terest they are taking in the develop
ment Of Mesopotamia, and several
schemes have been proposed for COL
onizing there the excess of human life
In Italy that has been going to the
United States and the Argentine re-
public. 1t has also been suggested that
the Jews who are not wanted in Rus
STA and Roumanla might also be In
duced to settle N Mesopotamia-
These pants, however, Will not be
realized for the present. The members
of the Turkish cabinet are so timid
about granting concessions for neces-
sary public works that 1t seems scarce
ly worth while to seek their approval
of such comprehensive plan as Sir
William Willcock has offered. So long
as they cannot be induced to give con-
cessions for telephones, electric lights
electric cars and other public conven-
fences in their own capital 1t is not
likely that they would authorize the ex-
Ipenditure Of $40,000,0o0 in retaining an