LAND AND WATEB 
February 13, 1915. 
those who are at once acquainted with the nature 
of the banks at various points and with the pro- 
bable effect of heavy sliell fire upon them, are com- 
petent to say how far this method of attack could 
proceed. But it is evidently that upon which the 
enemy would rely if it were open to him. 
But that it is open to him we may gravely 
of the Canal, without too great irregularity, would 
have little in common with the regular engineering 
of a permanent way. It is astonishing across what 
irregularities of soil the old Decanfille lines (for 
instance) could be used, and at what pace they 
could be laid. 
There runs from the point of El Arish upon 
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'doubt ; for to bring pieces of any size across the 
'desert would probably prove impossible, even with 
the use of petrol traction and of a light railway 
Id supply the columns. And this phrase " a light 
•railway " leads to the discussion of a point which 
has been debated elsewhere than in these columns. 
Among men acquainted both with the ground 
;and with the Turkish service, there seems to be a 
debate as to whether the laying of a light railway 
to aid these operations will, or even could, be 
undertaken. As one eminent critic put it the 
other day, " The Turks are no great raihvay 
builders." If the task is undertaken, it must be 
remembered upon the other side that the laying 
of such narrow-gauge fixed rails and iron sleepers" 
or cross pieces, as would permit of provision and 
water reaching a front, say, a day's march east 
the sea coast up to the heart of the peninsula an 
ancient watercourse (now dry save towards its 
mouth and in exceptional seasons), which takes its 
name from the place where it reaches the sea — El 
Arish. This dry watercourse of the Wadi-cl- 
Arish is said, by those who have seen it and 
travelled upon it, to afford a fair ground for the 
laying down of a light railway; and at a point 
about midway between Akaba and Suez (but a 
little nearer the latter point), the upper reaches 
— or what were once the upper reaches — of this 
watercourse touch the Pilgrims' track from Suez 
through Akaba to Mecca. The rails might then 
follow the track up to a point, say, ten miles east 
of Suez. 
There would be no need to carry them further, 
for we know that the enemy is supplied with petrol 
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