— 72 — 
The following estimate was made by me of the cost of protecting the 
Delta proper between the two branches of the Nile during the high 
flood of 1887 : — 
Cost of protection for 432 kilometres of bank or 1,200,000 acres of 
cultivation : — 
Materials 
paid for 
Materials 
not paid for 
Sand bags 60,000 @ £ *03 
Stone 5,000 @ „ *50 
Stakes 55,000 @ „ -06 
Camel loads of stalk for 42 kilometres, 
14,000 @ £ *15 .. .. 
Total materials . . 
15 engineers @ £ 80 
Unpaid corvee, 1,374,079 men @ £ *03 
Total labour . . 
Total materials and labour . . 
= £ 1,800 
= „ 2,500 
= „ 3,300 
£ 
7,600 
= £ 
2,100 
. .. £ 
9,700 
£ 
1,200 
5 ? 
41,222 
. .. £ 
42,422 
£ 52,122 
This works out to £120 per kilometre of bank, or £*045 per acre 
of land protected. It is a very cheap insurance. 
