DEFENCE OF EGYPT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 167, 21 December 1914, Page 6

DEFENCE OF EGYPT.

— TIIE FRONTIER DESCRIBED. SINAI PENINSULA. Now that, the New Zealanilcrs and Australians are in Egypt special interest attaches to the following description of tile frontier country which appeared in the London Morning I'ost of November 4. The Red Sea at its northern end branches out into two arms—the Gulf of .Suez, running northward,s to the Suez Canal, and the Gulf of Akabah, running in a north-easterly direction and dividing the Sinai Peninsula, which is under Egyptian administration from Asiatic Turkey. This Culf of Akabah is about a hundred miles in width. ft is bounded by steep mountains, rising in places up to a height of -2000 ft. and the sterile country on either hand, inhabited chiefly by wandering Arabs oilers few inducements even to Arab dhows to brave its stormy waters, in which the currents are both strong and treacher- | ous. At the head of the Culf of Akabah is the Turkish military post of that name. The depression occupied by the waters of the gulf is continued 011 land in a north-north-easterly direction along the Wade EI Arabah to the Dead Sea'. The 1 dividing line between the territories un- 1 del- Egyptian and Turkish administration, however, strikes oil' from Aka- > in a north-north-easterly direction, and runs for about la) miles in a more, or less straight line, roughly parallel with tho Culf of Suez and the Suez Canal, as far as Kafeh, in the southcast corner of tho Meiiilerranean. It is the frontier which is s lt id to have been crossed by a party of Turkish Beiluins at the. instance of the Turkish Govcrnmcut. Between this frontier and '.ut proper, as that term is commonly understood by the average individual, extends a quadrangular tract of mountainous, arid country, which is tho scene of the present invasion. The distance between the land frontier, 011 the one hand, and the line of the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Suez, 011 tho other, averages about 120 miles. A BOUNDARY DISPUTE. As a matter of fact, the Mediterranean coastal region, forming the northern part of the territory in question, is strictly part of Egypt proper, while the Sinai Peninsula, forming the southern portion, though not in Egypt proper, has been recognised by the Turkish Government as being definitely under Egyptian administration. This is one of the diplomatic distinctions which have not much practical significance at ordinary times, but it came into considerable prominence in l!ll)(i, when the frontier was the subject of a serious dispute between the British and the Turkish Governments. The Turks suddenly occupied the well at Tabah, at the head of the Gulf of Akabah, three or four miles on the Egyptian side of the frontier, as it had been understood up tit that time. Not only did repeated protestations fail to induce the Turks to withdraw their garrison, but boundary pillars and telegraph posts at the Mediterranean end of the frontier were removed, and not until an ultimatum had been delivered by the J.trj(ish Government did the Porto <dve way. Later in the year the frontier was infinitely delimited for the first time by a Turco-Egyptian Boundary Commission. The work then accomplished was really in the nature of au exploration, some of the country traversed by tin; frontier having never before been visited by Europeans, still less properly mapped. The northern half of the frontier region is less arid than the southern half. The rainfall even permits of crops being grown in some districts, while the permanent supplies of water are amply sufficient for the (locks and herds owned by the nomad Arabs. CARAVAN ROUTES. The country as a whole, however, is, as already stated, sterile and wild. The total population of a territory perhaps three-quarters the size of Scotland, numbers only about 30,000. "The scenery of Sinai," as described by one traveller, ''is characterised by savage grandeur and magnificence; sometimes for days you may journey through defiles of lofty precipitins limestone or granite dill's, at other parts stretches of bare sandy plains may intervene, with occasional agglomerations of fantastically shaped rocks. A large portion of the peninsula consists of great glistening granite peaks, some of them reaching close upon 10,000 feet in height, and an infinite variety of colors are seen amidst its strange solitary ways." There is an old caravan route through the Mediterranean coastal legion from Raich to Kantara, 011 the Suck Canal and another from Suez itself through the Sinai country to Akabali. This latter route, iu times gonu by, was milch used by pilgrims passing irom Egypt to Mecca. Indeed, it was for the. purpose of regulating this trall'ie and protecting the pilgrims against marauding bands that the. Egyptian Government was originally allowed to take over the administration of the peninsula. The chief centre of the exercise of control over the country is midway along the pilgrim route, at Naki, where there is a strong fortress in which large supplies of water can be accumulated hy means of reservoirs. The tide of pilgrim trall'ie now Hows along other lines, but a Tier the trouble with Turkey in l'.lOli it was reported that a regular garrison would be maintained at Nike by the Egyptian Government, that modern artillciy would be. mounted in the fort, and that the magazine would always be kept well stocked with ammunition. El Arisli, not far Irom Rafeh, was also occupied in some force,_ and was made a wireless telegraphic station. Little hiis been heard about this detached corner of Egypt in the last few years, but there can be no doubt that Lord Kitchener had foreseen and adopted s to deal with (he situation which lias now arisen.