The binding of the Nile and the new Soudan

by Sidney Cornwallis Peel

PREFACE

I have tried to tell in outline the story of the regulation of the Nile and some of its consequences. A rash project, perhaps, for one who is not an engineer; but, then, this book is not written for engineers, and politics enter largely into it.

I have had some special opportunities of observation, and I have many friends to thank for the help which they have given me. In particular I am much indebted to the Standard, whose special correspondent in Egypt and the Soudan I had the good fortune to be during a part of 1902-1903.

Anyone who wishes to gain a real acquaintance with the principles and details of Egyptian Irrigation should read the monumental and interesting work by Sir W. Willcocks, K.C.M.G., on that subject, to which my indebtedness is large.

The standard work on the Soudan is not yet written. There is but one man who combines the necessary knowledge, experience, and attainments to do it, and he, fortunately for the Soudan, is—and will be for a long time to come—too fully occupied with his arduous and multifarious duties. I mean, of course, the present Governor-General, Sir Reginald Wingate. No official of the Soudan Government, least of all he, has leisure to write a book; but I sincerely hope that the materials for it are steadily collecting.

S. P.

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CONTENTS

PART I
THE BINDING OF THE NILE
CHAPTER		PAGE
I.	THE NILE	[3]
II.	BASIN IRRIGATION	[13]
III.	PERENNIAL IRRIGATION	[23]
IV.	THE CULTURE OF THE FIELDS	[32]
V.	THE DELTA BARRAGE AND THE ENGLISHENGINEERS	[43]
VI.	THE CORVÉE	[59]
VII.	RESERVOIR PRELIMINARIES	[68]
VIII.	THE DAM AND THE NEW BARRAGES	[81]
IX.	THE INAUGURATION OF THE RESERVOIR	[91]
X.	BRITISH RULE IN EGYPT	[101]
XI.	SCHEMES FOR THE FUTURE	[111]
XII.	THE SUDD	[124]
XIII.	THE UNITY OF NILELAND	[134]
PART II
THE NEW SOUDAN
XIV.	THE PAST	[139]
XV.	THE PAST—continued	[159]
XVI.	THE NEW KHARTOUM	[173]
XVII.	THE NEW SOUDAN	[185]
XVIII.	JUSTICE AND SLAVERY	[200]
XIX.	EDUCATION AND THE GORDON COLLEGE	[214]
XX.	TRADE AND COMMERCE	[226]
XXI.	TAXATION, REVENUE, AND EXPENDITURE	[247]
XXII.	THE COST OF THE SOUDAN TO EGYPT	[261]
XXIII.	CONCLUSION	[270]
	INDEX	[278]
	MAP OF EGYPT AND THE SOUDAN	[At end]
PORTRAIT
	MEHEMET ALI	[Frontispiece]
	(From the painting by T. Brigstock inthe possession of the Oriental Club.)

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