Page:England & Russia in Central Asia,Vol-I.djvu/71

Rh proceeding. On that operation the whole undertaking would depend. The channel should be cleared out, levelled, and strengthened both in its embankments and its bottom, as the preliminary step. The Oxus should still be permitted to pursue its ordinary course towards the Aral while these works were in progress, and, if necessary, the first and principal dam might even be strengthened to prevent the river breaking through prematurely. The next step would be to execute the dredging operations that are no doubt necessary at Sarykamish; and it is probable that, to prevent waste and to secure the utmost economy in the volume of water, embankments on a large scale would also be required there. And then the Uzboi would have to be cleared out, levelled, and strengthened, just as the Doudon had been. The preliminary works would therefore consist in the preparation of two great channels — the one two hundred and fifty miles in length, the other rather more than four hundred miles — for the purpose of being the future bed of a great river, and in precautionary mea- sures at the Sarykamish lakes lest some of the all- valuable stream should be wasted. In the scheme to which we have alluded these measures form the preliminary step.

When it becomes a matter of adapting means to ends, the great question of labour and expense has to be discussed, nor do the advocates of this particular proposal shirk the duty that of necessity devolves upon them. With regard to the question of labour, great stress is laid upon the fact that all the northern 4 *