THE SUAKIM-BERBER RAILWAY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 123, 29 April 1885, Page 3

THE SUAKIM-BERBER RAILWAY.

We loarn from Engineering, of March 6, that, in order to accelerate the woik of construction of the Sua-kiiu-Berl>er railway, the practical route fov which will be from 260 to 286 miles, Messrs Lucas and Aird, the contractors, are going to use portable electrical lighting- plants, the lumps to be fixed on portable tripods 85 feet high, and placed along the line under construction at distances of atout. 100 yards apart. By this means the contractors will be able to carry on work all night through, when the temperature is at the lowest and most suitable for working, while in the day time during summer such work would be absolutely impracticable. The providiug of a water snply in the desert , has been arranged for by 1 the employment of pumping engines on the same principle as those now used in the oil regions of the United States, where petroleum is pumped at a pressure of 1000 pounds to the inch through ICO miles of pipe, and the system is in doily use over thousands of miles of mains, which cover ibe oil regions like a network. The main, which will be laid on the surface of the ground, and left free to move under the influence of expanwon and contradiction, will be composed of lapwelded wrouglitiron tubes connected by extended sleeves. Steam will be supplied to the engiues by portable boilers, of which about 34 will be wanted, a number of whieh are now being made ky John Fowler and Co., of Leeds, who are also building locomotives for the railway, besides supplying wagcons, sleepers, <fcc. The total quantity of wnter to be delivered aloug the line will be from 130,000 to 150,000 gallons per day. The rapidity with which pipelines can be laid must depend Tery largely upon the facilities of transport, the piotection from attack of the men employed on the work, and the danger of damage bv marauders. It is estimated that 15 miles of pipe can be laid daily, and water pumped through as the work progresses. This method of supplying i loops with water when pasning through arid regions has been under the consideration of the English War Office for a considerable time, while for purposes of irrigation, sewage disposal, &c, we think it will be found of great use.