Evening star., 1933-06-25

II group OF europeans Is working ON u
plan so titanic that it would make
those two UNDERTAKINGS look like
tasks for children with buckets and tin shovels.
For these folk, Joined together in an organi-
xation known as the Atlantropa Union, are con-
sidering nothing less than the drying up of half
of the Mediterranean Sea- the creation Of
series of gigantic inland lakes in the heart OF
the Sahara, the addition of thousands of square
miles to the earth's surface and the transforma-
ton Of the worlds vastest desert into fertile
agricultural region.
Under the leadership of a German architect
named Hermann Sorgel, blueprints have already
been drawn up for some phases of this colossal
job.
They CALL first of all, for construction of
gigantic dam across the straits of Gibraltar,
cutting of the Mediterranean entirely from the
Atlantic. Next there would be similar. smaller
dam at the Gallipoli Peninsula, to close the
Dardanelles. Third, dam would cut of the
Suez Canal The Mediterranean would become
. lake.
These plans based on the fact that the
great rivers which feed the Mediterranean sup
ply each year less water than the sun removes
by evaporation. To maintain it's level the Medi-
terranean must draw on the Atlantic so that
steady current of more than billion gallons
q year flows east past Gibraltar.
\H/rTH all inlets fiom the outer oceans cut
off, and with the flow from the Black
Sea blocked at Gallipoli, the Mediterranean
would Immediately begin to shrink. under the
suns rays, precisely as Americas Great Salt
Lake has shrunk during the last few hundred
years
As it shranE, becoming shallower and shall
lower, every adjacent country would get an
enormous increase of territory along its coast
line. Such seaports Marseille, Naples,
Venice and Messna would become inland cities.
The Adriatic and Aegean Seas would vanish en-
tirely, leaving rich valleys deep in fertile soil in
their places.
The Mediterranean would be cut in half a
solid ridge of dry land connecting Europe with
Africa through Sicily and the toe" of Italy
Neither italy nor Greece would any longer be
a peninsula. Such islands as Sardinia Corsica
and Crete would be part Of the mainland A
wide bridge of land would join Spain to Mo-
rocco
The vast tracts of land thus created would
according to the enthusiasts Of the Atlantropa
Union. be excellent farming soil and would pro-
vide an outlet for the overcrowded populations
Of many European nations
All of this, however tremendous in scope as
it Is, Is only part of the plan
Included second step is the most enor-
nous hydroelectric scheme ever imagined
II the Mediterranean were entirely inclo5ed
the sun would evaporate its waters fast that
the sea would eventually become smaller than
these dreamers intend. So it is proposed that
inlet gates be installed in the dams which shut
OF communication with the outer seas.
Since the level of the Mediterranean would
be so much lower than these seas, water ad-
mitted through the gates would provide stu
pendous amount of electrical power. At the
Gibraltar dam alone. it is estimated fully 160,-
600 600 horsepower would be obtained. Gal
ipoii would add 1000 900 more.
The third part of the plan leads to the
Sahara Desert
IRON the western end Of the new and smaller
Mediterranean water would be diverted to
form new chain of lakes in the Sahara Desert.
Parts OF Tunis, today. are below sea level and
these parts could be flooded without difficulty;
and the great amount of power generated at
the Gibraltar dam could be tapped to pump
water thence into subsequent lakes at higher
levels.
From these lakes you'd radiate a chain OF
irrigation canals which would transform one OF
the most barren spots in the world into vast