We end our sketches of Egypt, and the Nile, by a notice of the
_barrage_, or great dam, at the northern part of the Delta, just below
where the river divides into the two great streams which empty
themselves at Rosetta on the west, and Damietta on the east. This
immense work, which is hardly heard of out of Egypt, is one of the
greatest undertakings of modern times. It is nothing less than a damming
of the Nile, so as to hold back its waters and keep them in reserve,
till, by letting them out, at the proper seasons, two inundations may be
produced each year, and so the crops doubled throughout the Delta. This
great work is not only projected, but far advanced toward completion.
Each branch of the river is to be spanned by sixty-two arches, besides a
central gateway ninety feet in breadth, and flanked by lofty stone
towers. The point of the Delta, between the two dams, is protected by a
curtain of solid masonry, and the abutments which it joins are fortified
by towers sixty or seventy feet in hight. The piers have curved
breakwaters on the upper side, while the opposite parapet of the arches
rises high above them, so that the dam consists of three successive
terraces, and presents itself like a wedge, against the force of such an
immense body of water. The material is brick, faced with stone. When
complete, it is intended to close the side arches during low water,
leaving only the central gateway open. By this means sufficient water
will be gained to fill all the irrigating canals, while a new channel,
cut through the center of the Delta, will render productive a vast tract
of fertile land. The project is a grand one, and the only obstacle to
its success is the light, porous character of the alluvial soil on which
the piers are founded. The undertaking was planned and commenced by M.
Linant, and has been continued by other engineers. “The Egyptian
boatmen,” says Taylor, “have reason to complain of the _barrage_. The
main force of the river is poured through the narrow space wherein the
piers have not yet been sunk, which can not be passed without a strong
north wind. Forty or fifty boats were lying along the shore, waiting the
favorable moment. We obtained permission from the engineer to attach our
boat to a large government barge, which was to be drawn up by a
stationary windlass. As we put off, the wind freshened, and we were
slowly urged against the current to the main rapid, and at last reached
smoother water, and sailed off gaily for Cairo.”