RIVER NILE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 August 1929, Page 7

RIVER NILE

WONDERFUL IRRIGATION WORKS

A striking illustration of the beneficent results of British interest in Egypt has been afforded in the development of great and necessary irrigation works in that country. Lord Cromer’s successful administration of Egyptian affairs from 1883 to 1907 may be summed up as the re-creation of Egypt. When he took charge, the country was threatened with insolvency and groaned under the oppression of the paphas. The result of his life-work was to restore national credit and to make life worth living ifor the fellaheen. Lord Cromer did not attempt large scale irrigation as he considered that the Sudan required more urgently the improvement of communications. Since 1907, however, British engineers have undertaken vast schemes of irrigation at various points on the River Nile, notably at Assiut, Esna, Aswan, and Makwar. It was proposed before the war to erect another large dam*at Gebel Aulia on the White Nile, thirty miles south of Khartoum. Work was actually begun, but the disturbance of Anglo-Egyptian .relations caused a suspension of operations. As the Egyptian people knew how intent the British Government was on irrigating tlie Gezira dsitrict, the triangular area between the White Nile and the Blue Nile, they formed the impression that the Gebel Aulia Dam would not benefit Egypt. The British Government, however, gave a distinct assurance that the vast mass of water which this dam will hold will be reserved for the benefit of the Egyptian summer crops. One of the last achievements in Egypt off the Baldwin Government was to reach a comprehensive agreement with the Egyptian Government in regard to the irrigation of Egypt and the Sudan. It will be remembered that in 1922, when Egypt was declared to be an independent sovereign State/ the British Government granted this subject to several important reservations, one of which was that the would retain control of the Sudan.

■ it is not surprising that the people /•f Egypt should be suspicious that the •Brit Ssh Government would not construct dams in Sudan territory for the benefit of Lower Egypt. This was especially the case when Anglo-Egyptian relations were disturbed. These suspicions, however, have been removed and the wonderful work df bringing into cultivation thousands of acres of desert will now be continued. The new Nile agreement has great possibilities for the agricultural future, of both Egypt and the Sudan. The series of arge dams already built by British engineers will now be added to, and large areas of barren land will now be made highly productive. . In the new agreement which has been made Egyptian rights have been fully safeguarded. Irrigation is to carried out “with full consideration ifor the interests of Egypt, and without detriment to her natural rights.” These rights have been specifically safeguarded by provisions which make the previous consent of the Egyptian Government fi condition of the construction of all future works situated in the Sudan or in territories administered by Great Britain on the Nile, its tributaries and the great lakes, should these works entail any prejudice to the interests of Egypt. Close co-operation between the Egyptian and Sudanese Irrigation Departments will continue. Differences of opinion that may arise in regard to the interpretation of agreements will be referred to arbitration.

There is really no 'fear that Egyptian agriculture will be sacrificed to the needs of the Sudan. It is, of course, well known that the British. are anxious to develop fully the Gezira region as a cotton-growing district, but the regulations of the supply of the Nile waters now makes the cultivation of Lower Egypt more independent of seasonal variations in the extent of the annual inundation. Great Britain, indeed. looks to both Egypt and Sudan for an increasing supply of her raw cotton, so that common interests tends to assure Lower Egypt as well as the Sudan of an ample supply df water for their needs. M.orevover, this marvel lous system of irrigation is gradually being extended as well as strengthened The great Aswan Dam is being raised ; a new barrage is being constructed at Nag Hamadi between the dams of Esna and Assiut. Two other large schemes to conserve the waters of the Nile still further are being considered. One is the construction of a deep channel through the pestilential marshes of the “Sudd” in the upper river where large quantities of water are lost annually by evaporation. Another ambitious project also approved by the Nile Commission of 1920, is the construction of a large dam at the northern outlet df Lake Albert which would create a huge reservoir sufficient to supply all the needs of Egypt and also to restore fertility to wide provinces of the Sudan.