— 12 — 
information then available he deduced the laws and operations of the 
great river. About twenty years later, just before the rebellion in the 
Sudan closed the Nile to the civilized world, a German savant, Joseph 
Chavanne ( J ), in his book on the rivers of Africa, collected and tabul- 
ated on clear and methodical lines much of the information available 
in 1883. Though many of his facts are erroneous, his method is clear and 
his ideas just. Sir William Garstin, in his Report, has developed the 
information at his disposal on such practical lines as are needed to 
study the question of insuring an abundant supply of water to the Nile 
in Egypt during the times of low supply. 
Having myself studied the Nile for fifteen years in order to solve the 
problems of water storage and flood control on the Nile, and having 
devoted the whole of my life to this very science of Hydraulics, I have 
been encouraged to attempt the continuation of Lombardini’s work; 
and, to the utmost of my ability, to bring it to the level of the know- 
ledge of our day. 
2. Nomenclature. — The nomenclature of the tributaries of the Nile 
is difficult to follow. In this book 1 shall call the river the Victoria Nile 
from Lake Victoria to Lake Albert; the Albert Nile from Lake Albert to 
the Sobat mouth (this reach is known generally as the Bahr el Gebel); 
the White Nile from the Sobat mouth to Khartoum; and the Nile from 
Khartoum to the sea. Jhe Blue Nile stretches from Lake Tsana in 
Abyssinia to Khartoum. 
3. Description of the course of the Nile. — Chapters II and III 
contain detailed descriptions of the Nilean d its main tributaries, and this 
paragraph is a short epitome of what is written there about the course of 
the Nile. The Nile drains nearly the whole of north-eastern Africa, an 
area comprising 3 million square kilometres. Its main tributary, the White 
Nile, has its furthest sources in south latitude 4°, near Lake Tanganyika. 
Known as the Kagera, it is one of the feeders of Lake Victoria, and has 
a course of 600 kilometres before it reaches the lake. Lake Victoria, 
covering 60,000 square kilometres, is the first reservoir of the Nile. The 
Victoria Nile leaves Lake Victoria by the Ripon Falls and after a course 
of 400 kilometres enters Lake Albert at its northern corner. At its 
southern end Lake Albert is fed by the Semliki river which has its sources 
in Lake Edward. Its own area is 4,500 square kilometres. The Albert Nile 
leaves Lake Albert at its northern end and has a course of 1280 kilometres (*) 
(*) “ Afriha’s Strome and Flilsse ” by Joseph Chavanne. Wien 1883. 
