446 Report S.A.A. Advancement of Science. 



in that district. In lower Egypt the area of the tract capable of 

 being perennially irrigated was about 3,930,000 acres. 



Of the total area of about 6,250,000 acres, 4,130,000 had a 

 rental of over ^^20, 000, 000, and 2,120,000 a rental of under 

 ^2,000,000. Practically one-third of Egypt was undeveloped. 

 Moreover, nearly all the undeveloped land lay in the tracts under 

 perennial irrigation. Now the discharge naturally required for the 

 existing perennial irrigated lands in Upper and Lower Egypt, to 

 say nothing at all of the undeveloped land which was capable of 

 development under perennial irrigation, given a sufficiency of water, 

 was about 17,650 cubic feet per second. 



In 1803 the available Nile discharge in summer was 9,890 cubic feet 



per second. 



„ 1885 „ 



„ 1889 „ 



„ 1890 „ 



„ 1891 „ 



,, 1892 „ 



„ 12,360 cubic feet 



per second. 

 „ 8,120 cubic feet 



per second. 

 ,. 9,890 cubic feet 



per second. 

 „ 14" 120 cubic feet 



per second. 

 „ 11,650 cubic feet 



per second. 



while in six other years the discharge was under 15,890 cubic feet 

 per second. The critical period is between May ist and July 15th, 

 or for a period of 75 days, during the whole of which period a 

 minimum discharge of 17,650 cubic feet per second should be 

 ensured for the tract then under perennial irrigation. 



It was obviously necessary for the further development of Egypt 

 and for insurance of existing irrigation, that some of the flood water, 

 the greater part of which runs unused to the sea, should be con- 

 served and utilised to supplement the natural discharge of the Nile 

 when it falls below the quantity desired. Colonel Western was 

 deputed to give shape to the suggestions of Mr. Cope Whitehouse, to 

 make plans of the Wady Rayan and the deserts between it and the 

 Nile, to find out the capacity of the reservoir, and to see if it could 

 be utilised. Plans and estimates were prepared, but, mainly owing 

 to differences of opinion among the officers of the Irrigation Depart- 

 ment as to the feasibility of carrying out the project, the question was 

 for the time shelved. 



Mr. Willcocks (now Sir W. Willcocks, K.C.M.G.) was occupied 

 in studying the other project of Count de la Motte for reservoirs in 

 Nubia, but on its being unfavourably reported on, in 1889 Mr. 

 Prompt, a member of the Egyptian Railway Board, suggested 

 utilising the trough of the Nile itself for a reservoir, in the absence 

 of the low plains that did not exist. 



By this time the Barrage repairs were almost complete, and 

 Mr. Willcocks was appointed to study the question of reservoirs 

 anew. The preliminary studies and the preparation of the projects 

 occupied the four years from 1890 to 1893. 



