The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-02-14
BY HAROLD PETERS
Copyright. 1885. by United Press)

BY HAROLD PETERS
Copyright. 1885. by United Press)
MERSA MATRUH, Egypt, Feb.
i4.-Great Britain is preparing in
tensely and thoroughly against
possible emergency in this desert
area bftween the Italian army,
massed near the Libyan border, and
the Nile.
A visit to this base convinces one
Immediately of the importance
which is attached to it and of the
speed with which the British have
heen working for the last three
months under difficulties such as
sand storms. which at times obscure
the whole area for periods of three
days, and trucking supplies across
desert trails until road with a
solid rock foundation could be COM
pleted and improved
(Here 18 lines of the dispatch
were deleted by censor)
Land defenses consist Of anti
tank emplacements and anti-tank
guns. (Another section wa CEN
sored here) Barbed wire and tank
obstacles have been constructed.
Anti-airplane defenses. also have
been placed strategically. The
strength of the Royal Air Force is
not ascertainable.
Air Raids Are Threat
Possibility of an air raid from
Italian Libya always must be con-
sidered. But this is complicated by
local conditions. particularly the
sand storms which at times obscure
visibility, and by the problem of
consolidating any gains or taking
advantage of any damage done.
Thus for the moment the Brit
ish are snugly, if somewhat uncom-
fortably, quartered in this former
resort town, taking occasional leaves
to Cairo or Alexandria, and hoping
that no incident" will precipitate a
crisis.
The problem of water supply
always vital to an army, but espe-
cially SO here-was solved for the
British centuries ago by the fore
runners of present-day Italians.
Under the sands there is an old
Roman labyrinth three miles in ex-
tent from which the British west
ern desert army can take daily re-
assuring supply of sweet water.
Cisterns Are Excavated
Excavation of these cisterns.
which really are a series of galleries
similar to mines, is going forward
daily and is now one of the chief
sources, although not the only
source, of water.
The cavernS were known to the
Egyptian government and as far
back as 1882 a recommendation was
made for their extension in order
to increase Mersa Matruh's popu-
larity as resort town. Some work
was done by the Egyptian govern
ment, so that the British had maps
and good start toward the excava-
ton when they began work last fall.
1t Is supposed that the caverns
were reservoirs for fresh water in
rainless years in the early Christian
era when, so the story goes, this re-
gion was the granary of Rome.
Viewed today 1T is hard to see
how anything could grow here. New
ertheleSs, in years of rainfall the
Bedouins and Arabs cultivate some
barley and other grains, and the
Egyptian variety of sagebruSh, mes
quite and buffalo grass provide
sparse grazing for goats.
Waters Do Not Mix
The theory is that the cisterns
when not filled with sand received
the seepage of this rain water
through soft sandstone walls. The
sweet water lies as a layer over an
other layer of sea water seepage.
1t can be pumped off without
mixing.
There has been no appreciable
rain here in more than three years,
so the exact reserve of sweet water
Is unpredictable. But thousands of
gallons have been drawn daily with
out appreciably affecting the supply.
The cisterns lie approximately III
the exact center of the desert.
Crossing the sand dunes in a spe-
cial car equipped with huge sand
tires we almost missed the power
station in a sandstone. One climbs
down shaft where Arab laborers
are busy scooping out drifted sand
in small palm fibre baskets remi-
niscent of the days of pharaoEs.
At about 20 feet down one strikes
an inclined tunnel and, If not care
full, may step off into water some
times thigh deep.
1t Is possible to wade in hip boots
from one shaft to another.
Life of Supply Uncertain
The labyrinths only partly have
been explored. but they must be
miles more in extent than those
known. The only uncertainty is
that because of the three-year
drought 1t is impossible to estimate
how long the seepage and replen-
fishing will continue.