Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Sahara Sea

After greeting those he had invited, and thanking the French and Tunisian officers, clerks, and dignitaries for the honor of attending the meeting of dignitaries, Mr. De Charet delivered the following speech: "Gentlemen, it must be admitted that, thanks to the progress of science, it is less and less possible to confuse history with legend. History will eventually reveal legend. Legend belongs to poets, and history belongs to scientists, each of whom has his own champion or. Today, I have to place the legend in the realm of the imagination and bring it back to reality as evidenced by scientific observation."

The new gabes club hall has a hard time rallying the public, making it better for them to follow the speakers into interesting arguments.The audience is given the program to be carried out in advance.As a result, his speech received flattering praise from the outset.Only a few Aboriginal people in the audience seemed to have cautious reservations.This is because, in fact, for half a century, the tribes of the Djerid region, settled or nomadic, have been blind to Mr. de Charais's plans for the study of history. Mr. De Charet added: "We would like to admit that the ancients were people who lived by imagination, and historians are accustomed to use their opinions to show that history is nothing more than tradition. They are inspired by these pure myths.

"Gentlemen, don't forget what Herodotus, Pompeius Meera, and Ptolemy say. The first one, in his History of Nations, doesn't he speak of a region extending as far as Terre Litong, which flows into the little bay that bears that name?... Didn't he tell the story of the travels of the Argonauts as an interlude, that Asson's boat was driven by a storm to Libya, and thrown into the West of the Triton cove on the western limit? It should therefore be inferred from this story that the so-called cove was then open to the sea. Moreover, this is what Syracuse says about this great lake in his Journey to the Mediterranean. Tell us something: by the lake lived the various peoples of Libya, who rightly occupied what is now the region of lagoons and salt lakes, but the great lake is no longer connected to the small bay by a narrow canal.

"After Herodotus came Pompeius Mela, who, almost at the beginning of the Christian era, also noted the existence of this great lake of Triton, Lake Pallas, which is also associated with the small bay of the present Connected to the Bay of Gabes, it disappeared due to the drop in water level caused by the evaporation of the lake. "Finally, according to Ptolemy, the waters of the lake continued to decrease and finally settled in four depressions, forming the Triton, Pallas, Libya and Tortu lakes, which are the salt lakes of Algeria and the Larsa Salt Flats, Tunisia's Djerid and Fejedi Salt Lakes, these lakes are often collectively referred to as Farawen Salt Lakes.

"Gentlemen, be sure to catch and cast, chiefly these ancient legends which have nothing to do with modern science and precision. No, Asun's ship was not cast across this inland sea, which has nothing to do with small sandbars. The bay is not connected at all, unless the ship has a pair of powerful wings like Daedalus' adventurous son Icarus, can fly over this ridge of the seashore! Observations since the end of the nineteenth century have proved irrefutably that, A Sahara Sea covering the entire lagoon and salt lake zone does not exist at all, because the altitude of some places in some depressions sometimes exceeds the height of Gabes Bay by 15 to 20 meters, mainly in some places closest to the coast, and this sea, At least in history, it has never been as 550 square kilometers as people think.

"However, gentlemen, the plan to create the Sahara Sea from the waters of the Gulf of Gabes would not work, even if the sea had been restored to the extent that the original state of these salt and lagoon regions would allow. "Therefore, this is the plan that was put forward by a few bold and practical scientists after many twists and turns, and finally could not be implemented. This is what I want to remind you of the history of the Sahara Sea, and the futile efforts that have dragged on for so many years. plans and brutal setbacks." There was a chorus of approval from the audience as all eyes turned to the speaker as he pointed to a map hanging on the wall of the podium.

This map includes parts of Tunisia and southern Algeria, with the 34th parallel passing through the region between 3 and 5 longitudes.A large depression southeast of Biskra is drawn there.The first is the whole area of ​​salt lakes in Algeria, below the level of the Mediterranean Sea, under the names of the Salars of Mélégil, the Grandes, the Asrouj and others up to the Tunisian border.From the edge of the Malakir Salt Lake, there is a canal connecting Xiaoshazhou Bay. There is a plain in the north, full of various tribes, and the endless sand dunes in the south.The main cities and towns of the region are marked with their exact locations: Gabes, Lajama on the coast of the Gulf of Gabes, in the south, Limagne, Softin, Buabdara and Besia, on the Tongue between Jedi and Djerid; Sedada, Kerry, Tozeur, Nefta, between Djerid and Gelsey Salar Flats; Shebika in the north, and Birkerebia is to the west; finally, Tseribianaga, Tahir Rassou, Mlayye, Fagusa are near the road that crosses the Sahara towards the west of the Algerian salt lake belt.

In this way, listeners will be able to see on the map the full extent of these depressions, in which the almost completely submerged Larsa and Malegir may form a new sea of ​​​​Africa. "However," continued Descharet, "fortunately, nature has arranged these depressions for the collection of the water of the small sandbar bay, but this can only be determined after a difficult leveling work. However, since 1872 Years later, during an expedition across the Sahara, the Senator Holland, Pomeranz and the engineer of the Rockard mine considered that the project was impossible in view of the constitution of the Salt Lake region. Under certain circumstances , In 1874, Captain Rudel, the first to put forward this extraordinary creative idea, re-studied this project."

Cheers rang out from all corners of the hall for a French officer who had been hailed many times and would always be hailed.In addition, the names of the Presidents of the Council of Ministers of this period, Mr. Devrechner and Mr. Ferdinand de Lesseps, who soon recommended this huge project, should be connected with it. "Gentlemen," began the speaker again, "it is precisely this remote date which should be remembered, when we first had a view of this region as far north as the Aurès Mountains, 30 kilometers south of Biskra. It is true that it was in 1874 that this inland sea project was studied by the intrepid officer, and what efforts he must have made. However, he could foresee that there would be so many problems that could not be overcome by his ability. difficulties? Either way, it is our duty to give this man of courage and scientific mind the respect he deserves.”

After preliminary studies by the proponents of the project, the Department of Public Works formally entrusted Captain Rudale with the various scientific tasks of surveying the area.Extremely accurate geodetic observations finally determined the highlands in this area of ​​Jared. Thus, the legend presumably vanishes in the face of reality: the region—it is said that there used to be a sea connected with Xiaoshazhou Bay—in this case will never be found.In addition, this time the depression - it is said that it is completely submerged from the Gabes ridge to the end of the Algerian salt lake zone - can only be a relatively limited part.However, based on the common people's initial opinion that the Sahara Sea does not have a large scale, it is not yet possible to draw such a conclusion: this plan should be abandoned.

"Gentlemen, in principle," said M. de Charet, "it seems to be believed that this new sea may extend 15,000 square kilometers. However, according to this figure, 5,000 square kilometers of the lagoon of Tunisia must be cut off, and this area The altitude is higher than that of the Mediterranean Sea. In fact, according to Captain Rudel’s estimation, the submerged area of ​​the Larsa and Mele Gir Salt Lakes should be reduced to 8,000 square kilometers, and its altitude is 27% lower than the water surface of Gabes Bay. rice." So M. de Charais, with a stick in his hand, drew on the map, detailing a panorama he had brought with him, and he was able to guide his audience through this part of ancient Libya. First of all, in the lagoon area, starting from the seashore, the water level is higher than sea level, the lowest point is 15.52 meters, the highest point is 31.45 meters, and the highest point is near the Gabes ridge.Looking west, we only found the initial huge depression in the basin of a 40-kilometer-long Larsa Salt Lake area 127 kilometers away from the sea.The terrain then rises within 30 kilometers to the Asrouj Ridge, and from here, within 50 kilometers, the terrain descends to the area of ​​the Malakir Salt Lake, where within a radius of 55 kilometers most of it is covered by submerged.There must be 402 kilometers from the point where latitude and longitude intersect at 3.40 to the Bay of Gabes. "Gentlemen," continued M. de Charet, "this is the geodetic work carried out in this area. But whether the area of ​​8,000 square kilometers, because its water level is lower than the altitude, is certainly sufficient to accommodate the waters of the Gulf. , and in view of the nature of the soil, wouldn’t digging a 227-kilometer-long canal exceed human power?” After many explorations, Rudel gave up this matter.As Mr. Maxime Elena said at the time in a noteworthy article, the problem was not to dig a canal across the desert, as in Suez or in the limestone mountains of Panama and in Corinth.The ground here is not solid.This required clearing of the saline soil layer, which was dry enough for the needs of the project due to drainage.In the 20-kilometer radius of the ridge that separates Gabes from the original lagoon, the pick must encounter a limestone layer 30 meters thick.The rest of the canal was dug in soft soil. The speaker thus reviews briefly and precisely the benefits that Rudel and his successors must have seen from this gigantic project.First, the climate in Algeria and Tunisia would improve significantly.Under the action of the south wind, the clouds formed by the water vapor of the Xinhai will turn into rain, which will benefit the entire region and improve agricultural efficiency.In addition, depressions such as the lagoon swamps of Djerid and Fejadi in Tunisia, and the Sahara in Algeria and the current salt lake marshes of Malegir have been purified due to the maintenance of abundant water.With the improvement of these material conditions, can't this area transformed by human hands gain trade benefits? ...Finally, Mr. Rudale has good reason for emphasizing these last truths: there will be new roads south of the Orais and Atla, and the safety of the caravans passing there will be assured; Merchant shipping would allow the development of trade in the hitherto inaccessible Depression; the landing of troops south of Biskra would secure tranquility and extend French influence in this part of Africa. "However," continued the reporter, "though the plan has been carefully studied, and though scrupulous attention has been paid to geodetic calculations, many opponents will deny the benefit which the district derives from the project." M. de Charley repeated one by one the arguments presented in various newspaper articles at the beginning of Captain Rudale's ruthless struggle. At the beginning, some people said that the length of the canal leading to the water of Gabes Bay should go to Larsa Salt Marsh, and then to Malegil. Some people also said that the capacity of Xinhai should be 2.8 billion cubic meters, and the depression cannot hold it at all. . Subsequently, it was thought that the salty waters of the Sahara gradually seeping through the neighboring oases, rising to the topsoil by a natural capillarity, would have destroyed the large date palm plantations which were a local wealth . Then there are some harsh critics who are convinced that the sea never reaches the depression and that the water evaporates every day as it flows through the canal.In Egypt, however, the sun was as hot as that of the Sahara, and Lake Manzares, which was thought to be probably underfilled, was filled with water, although this section of the canal was then only a hundred meters long. Next, someone argues that sea building is impossible, or at least that building canals would be expensive.It has been found that the soil texture from the Gabes ridge to the foremost depression is so soft that the measuring rod can sometimes drill down by its own weight alone. And what follows is the most outrageous prediction ever made by the detractors of the project: The banks of the extremely flat salt lake will soon turn into swamps, and there are as many plague hotbeds as there are swamps spreading diseases in this area.Strong winds do not blow from the south, as the planners thought, but from the north.The rainwater formed by the steam of the new sea does not fall on the vast countryside of Algeria and Tunisia, but is thrown in vain on the vast sandy plains of the great desert. In the region and era when fatalism was dominant, these criticisms were the starting point for calling for fatalism. This ending is still fresh in the memory of all people living in Tunisia at that time. Commander Rudale's plan aroused some people's imagination, and also inspired some people's enthusiasm for thinking.Among these men, M. de Lesseps kept the matter on his mind until the excavation of the Isthmus of Panama relieved him of it. All this had a relatively small influence on the imagination of the nomadic or sedentary natives of the region, who saw the whole of southern Algeria under European domination and their Security, their ill-gotten gains, the end of their independence.The intrusion of the sea disturbed their peace, and centuries of extreme rule were over.Hence a dull commotion among the tribes, who dreaded touching their prerogatives, at least those they had already acquired. At this moment, the frail Captain Rudale was crushed not so much by illness as by disappointment.His dream business was put on hold, and a few years after the Americans redeemed the Panama Canal, in 1904, some foreign engineers and capitalists re-adopted Rudel's plan and established an association to arrange the start of construction in the name of the French Overseas Company. , and to complete the project as soon as possible, on the one hand, it will benefit Tunisia, and in turn, it will also benefit Algeria's prosperity. The idea of ​​going deep into the Sahara was on the minds of many, and in this sense the movement in Aulani, western Algeria, amplified as the abandoned Roudel program was forgotten.In the oasis of Fijik, the national railway has surpassed Beni Unif and has become the leader of the trans-Saharan movement. "I don't want to go back here," continued Descharais, to the ill-thought-out comments that have been made in the past about the company's capabilities and the gigantic projects it undertakes. Influences, for which success is unquestionable, the company has everything to worry about, especially the benefits of the forestry work it delivered as a dune-fixing mission north of the Salt Lake, using the A method of protecting the coast from the double attack of sea water against wind and sand. That is, before realizing its plan, he seems to think that the city must be kept or built, like an oasis from the future sea (certainly not a calm lake) , we must be on guard against the invasion of the sea in advance. "At the same time, the whole water conservancy system must manage the rivers with drinking water. Shouldn't it avoid harming the habits and interests of the local people? Success should pay this price. Shouldn't some ports be built and coastal navigation quickly organized to obtain direct access interests instead of digging canals? "Because of these simultaneous actions everywhere, settlements of workers, temporary cities, were erected at once, so to speak, in places that were almost deserted yesterday. The nomads, although they mostly resisted, were stopped by numerous workers. The engineers and technicians gave their best, their scientific knowledge did not tire most of those under their command, and they had unlimited confidence in the engineers. During this period, southern Tunisia began to become a real busy A place to worry about the future, where all kinds of speculators, traders, brokers, etc., began to exploit those who could not survive in their hometown and had to entrust the care of their livelihood to those businessmen who came from nowhere. The gathering place can be encountered everywhere. "Besides all this and these undeniable material needs, one also thinks of some invisible danger around him, feels a vague threat, something like the vague anxieties before a storm, which disturbs the world. A mass of people surrounded by a great sense of solitude, a feeling of something unknown to man, but certainly something mysterious, in these so-to-speak boundless, invisible living beings— —In the vicinity of man or beast, everything seems to hide from the eyes and ears of the laborer. "Gentlemen, due to lack of foresight and miscalculations, there was a failure. The French Overseas Company had to submit a balance sheet. Since then, things have remained as they were, and it is my intention to restore you to this established Interrupted business. The company wanted to keep everything going at the same time, such as various projects that were launched, various investments. Many of you remember the sad day when the company was forced to discontinue those projects that were too large, Payments for projects that cannot be completed. The map I have just shown you shows the works that the French Overseas Company has begun to carry out. "But these unfinished projects are still there, and the climate of Africa, which is closed in nature, certainly does not impair, indeed seriously impair, these projects, for a new company - our Sahara Ocean Company, for the company The interests and successes of these works, based on the compensation we have negotiated, and the state of the works we can find, make the use of these works all the more reasonable. It is even necessary to know them with one's own eyes, and to know how to use them. For this reason, I Going to inspect these projects carefully, at first alone, then with engineering scientists, but always under the protection of an escort sufficient to ensure the safety of new or proposed installations and construction sites, like a journey Rest assured, we have kept the journey as short as possible, as we did with our escort. "It's not that I'm overestimating, on the part of the natives, although there have been disputes among the Tuareg factions in the Southern Territories over the division of land, these incidents may have occurred on their own Weren't the Bedouins in the desert good collaborators when Tem dug the Suez Canal?). Right now, they seem stable, but they're wary. Don't put too much faith in their apparent stability. Because With brave and experienced fighters like Captain Aldigun, the men under their command must know the customs and habits of the eccentric inhabitants of this area very well, believe me, we have nothing to fear. We will tell you when we return Absolutely accurate observation reports, and we will work out with the utmost precision a budget for the completion of the project. In this way, you will share in the glory, and dare I say the benefits, of a magnificent enterprise that was destined to be auspicious and patriotic from the outset. But , thanks to you, this cause for the honor and prosperity of the motherland will be accomplished by us, and the motherland will help us, as she has done in South Auranai, who can turn still hostile tribes into our conquering nature. The most loyal and reliable guardian with unparalleled results. "Gentlemen, you know who I am and how much I have given to this great cause—financial and intellectual, and those two combined will overcome all odds. I assure you , where less equipped than our predecessors have failed, we will unite and gather around the new company, and this is what we say to you before we set out for the South. Since you have no doubt of success and lasting efficacy, Confidence, the rest is self-evident, so that in a hundred years the French flag will be planted at the Kasbah in Algiers, and we will see our French fleet develop in the Sahara and give us in the desert The outpost provides supplies."