194 Sir Benjamin Baker on the Nile Dams. [June 6, 



chief engineers at Aswan, Mr. Fitzmaurice and Mr. May, and at 

 Asyfit, Mr. Stephens. The almost unprecedented labour and anxiety 

 of arranging all the practical contractors' details of supply of labour, 

 materials, and execution of the work fell upon the shoulders of 

 Mr. Blue, except as regards Asyut, where Mr. McClure relieved him 

 of a part of Lis responsibility. 



As regards the initial stages of the project, I may say that when 

 the Egyptian Government informed me that they wanted the works 

 carried out for a lump sum, and no payment to be made to the 

 contractor until the works were completed, I felt it would be idle to 

 invite tenders until some arrangement had been made as to finance. 

 As in other cases of doubt and difficulty, therefore, I went to my 

 friend. Sir Ernest Cassel, and the difficulties vanished. The way 

 was then clear for getting offers for the work. Sir John Aird and Co. 

 were the successful competitors, and they have completed a largely 

 increased quantity of work in less than the contract time, to the 

 entire satisfaction of the Egyptian Government and of every one 

 with whom they have been associated. The same recognition is due 

 to Messrs. Eansomes and Rapier, and their able engineer and manager, 

 Mr. Wilfred Stokes, who was unexpectedly called upon to complete 

 all the complicated machinery of the sluices and gates in one year 

 under the contract time, and did it. 



[B. B.J 



