126 Book of Engineering 



system of irrigation canals was evolved, 

 and these, together with the annual flooding 

 of the great river, kept the banks green 

 when the rest of the desert was absolutely 

 sterile. 



The ancient engineers employed what 

 was called the basin system of irrigation, 

 by means of canals and natural channels 

 they flooded certain sections in such a way 

 that when needed the water could be drawn 

 off and seed planted in the rich alluvial 

 deposit. 



Whilst it is usually conceded that Britain 

 has taken a tremendous part in the con- 

 struction of the Nile barrages, it is well to 

 remember that the real work of making 

 Egypt a much more prosperous country 

 than it had been was begun by the Egyptians 

 themselves in the early part of the nine- 

 teenth century. Mohamed Ali introduced 

 the cultivation of the cotton plant, sugar 

 cane, and many kinds of fruit trees which 

 had been unknown in that ancient land. 



His first engineers were Egyptians, but 

 many of them had received their training 



