ENGINEERING. 393 



by the erection of suitable dams and sluices at different 

 points of the Nile as, for example, at the cataracts. These 

 structures, he concludes, would also greatly improve the nav- 

 igation of the river. 



THE SIMPLON TUNNEL PROJECT. 



This project is still the subject of newspaper discussion, 

 though nothing of a definite nature has transpired during 

 1S77 concerning it. We may record, however, the current 

 report that a French company, having secured important 

 concessions from the Italian Government, seriously contem- 

 plates the undertaking. The projected line of road would 

 commence at Brigue, which would thus become the interna- 

 tional entrance station to the tunnel, which, according to the 

 statements of the projectors, would have a length of 18,340 

 meters. The Annates die Genie Civil affirms that the scheme 

 is so far advanced that preliminary surveys for the tunnel- 

 work and for the construction of the approaches are now in 

 course of execution. 



DRAINING OF THE ZUYDER-ZEE. 



The engineering journals noted during the past year that 

 active preparations were being made for the commencement 

 of the long-projected work of draining the Zuyder-Zee. This 

 work, which has been alluded to in former volumes of the 

 Record, is of prodigious magnitude. It will require, accord- 

 ing to estimate, sixteen years for its completion, and will 

 cost about 335,000,000 francs. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



During the past year, a commission of engineers appoint- 

 ed by the Belgian Government to decide upon the merits of 

 the several forms of continuous train-brakes reported in fa- 

 vor of the Westinghouse system, after an extended series of 

 experimental trials, and recommended its adoption upon all 

 the Belgian state railroads. This recommendation, we un- 

 derstand, has since been carried into effect. 



The hopes of the friends of Chinese progress have received 

 a severe check in the action of the Chinese Government in 

 regard to the Shanghai and Woosung Railroad, the first (and 

 likely to be the last for some time to come) and only railway 



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