MARVELLOUS WORK OF THE ANCIENTS.
(From ".Engineering,")
When the Irradiator temporis acti -wants to silence tie engineer, ihe cays:—"After all, Egypt <can show the-biggest engineering ■works in fahe world, end they are ail four thousand yearns , old , . When you can. surpass them, you -will have something to boast of." It is undoubtedly true that Egypt .contains the largest structures in the world, and probably will for all time. It Aβ not likely that we shall again see a building with seven million tonus of stone in it, as lias the pysaimddi of Gizeh, and it will be long before we,have an irrigation reservoir of greater capacity than Lake Moerds, winioh, accept ing the figures of Major Sir R. H. Brown, R.E., held 11,800 million cubic metres (tone) of water between high, and low water marts. What iube Labyrinth waa like we do not reaily ■know, but Herodotus classed it as a greater wonder than the Pyramids, although leaser than Lake 'Moeris. We may safely assume that there is now nothing in the world that will compare with it in size. Further, them ie a tradition that in the dim rpast the Nile flowed at the foot of the Libyan mills, end that it was diverted from that course in.x» its present, bed, and, if the account be tirue, tihe work was of enormous magnitude. Measured! by the standard of the quantity surveyor, the works of the ancient Egyptians have never been surpassed, tend! probably never will be. The engineers of the past directed l the forces of nature, on a large- scale; but to compare their work with ouira to their advantage shows a complete ignorance of the science of engineering. The matter in which they excelled us was the transportation and manipulation of heavy weights—a feat fchait appeals strongly to the lay imagination. Among the chief examples of such work are tike columns of the temple of Kamak. To cut a block of stone in a distant quarry, to work it to a cylinder 12ft in diameter, float it down the Nik, Land it, and place it on" the top of a column of similar stones, making «. total" height of 60ft, wan mo small enterprise. A still more dlifficult undertaking was the great obelisk now standing; beside the Ohiurch of St. John Lateran in. Rome, with a height of 106 ft, and a weight of 450 tons. But the crowning example of Egyptian engineering was the colossal statue of Ramt&is 11., at Thebes. Before it was broken it was a single block of red granite, 60ffc in height, and it has been computed to weigh 887 t«ns. These were notable example of engineering work, and a modern engineer imght be proud of executing them. But *•- must, be remembered that they were dome very leisurely, end that labour was abundant. With the simple appliances 'tha- we may assume the Egyptians possessed, such as'wedges, levels, ropes, and pulleys, great weights may be handled if time is no object. The city of Thebes was in course of buMing for'2ooo veara, and in such a place it VouM excite'liittle comment if a year was spent in putting an obelisk into position. If a weight can be moved at all, no matter show little, it can be transported any distance,, provided the same conditions persist for the whole route The Romans moved two obelisks from Thebes, and re-emjeted them at Alexandria showing conclusively that the Egyptians had bo secrets in relation to mechanics, and that their method's oouH be imitated by a practical people with, perfect euecm. Their stroag jwint waa the abundance of cheap labour. Finest separator butter, lid per lb, firstclaas quality, at Wardelk. 5
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Press, Volume LX, Issue 11496, 31 January 1903, Page 8
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613MARVELLOUS WORK OF THE ANCIENTS. Press, Volume LX, Issue 11496, 31 January 1903, Page 8
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