The Washington herald., 1921-10-31

have been brought about through
periods of thousands Of years, due
to a large extent to the physical
conditions of the country. Prior to
English rule over India-India in
the true sense of the word meaning
a country of numerous Kingdoms,
forming an alliance-these native
kingdoms were continually warning
with each other by reason of their
radical differences and diversity of
interests and IL may be well TO
know a few of the things that have
resulted from British "misrule.-
For thousands of years the crud-
est form Of irrigation was in use
in various parts of India, where II
was necessary to irrigate the land
for the production of agricultural
products. Some of the devices used
up to fifty years ago had not been
changed in 5000 years. Since Brit
ish rule was established, enormous
irrigation dams have been built,
some Of which are equal to any in
the world and concrete canals and
fumes have been built to carry the
impounded water for hundreds of
miles to the agricultural districts.
The fertility OF millions OF acres
of land has been increased more
than 100 per cent. There are no irri-
cation projects in the world COM
parable to the British works in In
dia. Our own irrigation systems
in this country waste so per cent
the water, whore as in India
more than 80 per cent Of the water
is conserved for beneficial uses.
In addition to the immense tracts
of land made fertile by these irri-
cation projects, there are thousands
of miles Of railroad, countless miles
of docks, bridges and roads, that
have been constructed under the
British rule in every part of India.
Prior to British rule famine and
pestilence were yearly occurrences
in various parts of India, but British
sanitation and sanitary methods
have eradicated the various forms
of pestilence, and British industry
has solved the famine problem for
some 2oo,ooo.ooo people.
English schools follow the Union
Jack. and one has only to visit the
various countries throughout the
world to find that the percentage
Of illiteracy in British-ruled terri
tory is less than in any country
in the world. The increase in the
schools and the decrease in illit-
eracy among the peoples of India
is one of the grandest monuments
that have ever been erected to the
credit of the English government
and English rule.
In connection with these bitter
attacks so frequently made against
this noble people in various parts
of the world. may. I note a few
facts regarding Egypt under Brit
ish protectorate?
Again One of the most interest
ing features that may be cited Is
that of the magnificent irrigation
project brought about by the As
suan dam across the Nile River.
For 5000 years the success Of
Egypt was entirely dependent upon
the land watered by the annual
overflow Of the Nile, as the country
otherwise is one vast desert. For
these 5000 years the only land that
could be inundated and made fer
| tile was that which could be
reached by the flood waters OF the
MIG FOLLOWING the law OF gravity.
After the establishment of Brit
ish protectorate over Egypt a large
dam was constructed across the
Nile at the Assuan cataract. The
original dam, which was IS feet
high. permitted the irrigation of
millions of acres of land which
had through the previous 5000 years
of Egyptian civilization remained
an arid desert Following the con-
struction of the first dam and the
Irrigation of these large tracts of
land. in addition to the land for
meriy watered by merely the over
flow of the Nile River. the height
of the dam was increased by nearly
80 feet, adding very largely to the
land watered under the original
project.
4 n. 49,. zAs.fz,. x,ad~ -~..fha.