LAND RECL AM A TION. 191 



The work of reclamation began in April, 1887. 



The first problem was how to drain the lake. This 

 could be done in two ways, either by pumping, or by 

 draining through syphons under the Mahmoudieh canal 

 into Lake Mareotis, which in winter rises to R.L. 2'25 

 and in summer falls to R.L. 3'50, thus affording sufficient 

 drainage. Unfortunately, the Egyptian Government at 

 first refused to sanction syphons although these were after- 

 wards sanctioned in 1891. 



It was decided to instal pumps. The installation consisted 

 of two of the well-known Hammersmith firm's Messrs. 

 J. & H. Gwynne "Invincible" centrifugal pumps with 

 suction pipes 48 inches in diameter, each driven by a 

 horizontal direct-acting compound surface condensing 

 engine with cylinders of 17 and 32 inches diameter and 

 stroke of 27 inches. There were 4 Galloway boilers, 20 feet 

 by 7 feet, providing plenty of reserve power. The pump 

 volutes were 15 feet 6-inches and the fan 6 feet 9 inches 

 in diameter. Circulating water was driven through the 

 condensers by two 6 -inch centrifugal pumps each driven 

 by a direct-acting engine. The small circulating pumps 

 were not necessary, as the outfall channel communicating 

 with the sea was always full of water standing above the 

 level of the condensers, so water could easily be run 

 through these by gravitation. The small pump engines 

 running at 300 revolutions per minute require packing 

 and tightening up more often than the main engines 

 running about 80 revolutions and any little attention of 

 this kind involves stopping the main engines which other- 

 wise run continuously for periods of twelve to fifteen 



