ORDINARY MEETING.* 

 Theophilus G. Pinches, Esq., M.R.A.S., in the Chair. 



The Proceedings of the last Meeting were read and confirmed, and the 

 following Elections were announced : — 



Associates : — Major G. MacKinlay, E.A., England ; H. B. Ford, Esq., 

 D.D.S., Demerara ; D. B. Hewitt, Esq., B.A., L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S., 

 J.P., Cheshire ; Rev. P. H. Cole, D.D., United States ; Rev. J. 

 Hartley, D.D., United States. 



The Hon. Secretary (Captain F. Petrie, F.G.S.). — I deeply regret to 

 have to announce the death of the Institute's Honorary Treasurer, Mr. 

 W. N. West. He added to his onerous duties as a banker the treasurer- 

 ship of this Institute, which he held for upwards of 27 years. His name 

 will ever be held in high esteem by those who were associated with him on 

 the Council of this Institute, which owes much to that ripe and clear 

 judgment which so specially distinguished him. 



7RU PROPOSED SCHEME FOR EMBANKING 

 THE WATERS OF THE NILE AT ASSOUAN^ 

 IN UPPER EGYPT. By Professor Edward Hull, 

 LL.D., F.R.S. 



THE extraordinary fertility of Egypt, due to the periodic 

 Nile floods, is an occurrence dating from the earliest 

 period of Egyptian history, and in the days of the Roman 

 Empu-e caused Egypt to become " the granary of Rome," 

 while it has placed Egypt at the head of fruitful countries. 

 These periodic floods, utilized by a remarkable system of 

 irrigating canals and minor channels, and worked by an 

 industrious population, are now thoroughly understood, and 

 need not be here described ; but it is to Sir Samuel Baker 

 that we are indebted for a knowledge of their origin. f The 

 thunderstorms which burst upon the highlands of Abyssinia 

 in the early summer convert the wide channel of the Atbara 

 from the condition of a chain of stagnant pools into an 



* 3rd of 32nd Session. 



t The works at Assouan and Silsileh were commenced in April, 1898, 

 Mr. John Aird, M.P., having undertaken the contract. — Ed. 



J The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia. 



P 



