GROWTH OF PORT SUDAN

Taranaki Daily News, 2 September 1929, Page 2

GROWTH OF PORT SUDAN

WELLINGTON ENGINEER'S VISIT. Half-day down the Red Sea, between Aden and" Suez, a fine harbour is being constructed at Pert Sudan, and one who is taking an active part in its making,- Mr. R. Chambers, whose home is in Fairview crescent, Kelburn, arrived from Sydney by the Makura yesterday on an extended vacation. Mr. Chambers served his apprenticeship with William Cable and Co., Ltd., engineers, of Wellington, but for the past four and a half years has been abroad. Three years have been spent on engineering work at Port Sudan, but he has also traversed the Blue Nile and the White Nile, reaching Abyssinia, and to-day he o-ave some interesting details of Port Sudan to an Evening Post reporter. The harbour works at Port Sudan are being constructed on the most modern lines by the Anglo-Egyptian Government, and in the opinion of Mr. Chambers the harbour is destined to take much of the trade from Suez and Port Said. The country surrounding it orows large cpiantities of cotton, which is brought to the port- for transhipment. Coal and oil wharves have been erected, and the Government has granted a large concession for the panning and refinement of salt, for which a wharf 700 ft long is now under construction. The harbour of Port Sudan which has a tricky entrance but great depth, has a coral foundation, and the walls have been built on the coral bed. It is one of few of its kind in the woild. GROWING IVHITE POPULATION. The white population at Port Sudan is not very large yet, being only 218 when the last' census was taken, but it is increasing rapidly as the harboui works are being pushed on and the trade increases. As is the case with all tropical ports, there is a motley co lection of other nationalities, but tne bulk of the inhabitants are the Hftdendowie, or, as they are better known, “Fuzzy-Wuzzi es,” from the great shock of frizzy hair which they wear. They are the'natives of the Red Sea province, and became famous in history for the tenacious fights they made against the late Lord Kitchener. ■ Climatically Port Sudan is trying to the Europeans, especially during the months of July, August, and September, and it is the usual practice toi the white women to leave the. place foi some months each year to reside in the hills about twenty miles behind the harbour. The morning Mr. Chambeis left on his present trip the thermometei stood at 107 degrees, but he has expci ienced 122 degrees of heat there. Thcie is practically no rainfall. So far this year rain had fallen on five days, and last' year there were only thiee we days. There is an excellent hotel controlled by the railway authorities, and the Government buildings, are of the most modern type. Efficient saiutaiy services exist, and there is plenty oi power for lighting and other puipos.es, so that the white inhabitants’ live with the use of modern conveniences. A BUSY HARBOUR. Port Sudan is the headquarters of the Red Sea Squadron of the Rojal Navy, and is a calling-place for the shipg of nearly every nation. Die big American ships which make annual trips around the world call there, the tourists disembarking to go. down the Nile and regaining the ship at Poit Said. There are no difficulties in the way of anchorage or berthage, as the harbour has depth of 140 ft, while the depth at the wharves is 36ft. P. and 0. liners are regular callers, as -well, as ships of other lines, and the shipping trade is still increasing.