Signor Gessi Was Entrusted With The Command Of The Two Life-Boats Upon
Their Completion, And Had The Honour Of First Entering The Albert
N'yanza From The North By The River Nile.
The 38-ton steamer was put together, and the 108-ton (Khedive), which
had been left a few miles distant from Duffli, below the cataracts, was
taken to pieces and reconstructed on the navigable portion of the Nile
in N. lat.
3 degrees 34 minutes.
The plan of connecting the equatorial Lake Albert with Khartoum by steam
communication which I had originated, was now completed by the untiring
energy and patience of my successor. The large steamer of 251 tons was
put together at Khartoum, to add to the river flotilla, thus increasing
the steam power from four vessels, when I had arrived in 1870, to
THIRTEEN, which in 1877 were plying between the capital of the Soudan
and the equator. The names of Messrs. Samuda Brothers and Messrs. Penn
and Co. upon the three steel steamers and engines which they had
constructed for the expedition are now evidences of the civilizing power
of the naval and mechanical engineers of Great Britain, which has linked
with the great world countries that were hitherto excluded from all
intercourse.
There is still some mystery attached to the Albert N'yanza. It has been
circumnavigated by Signor Gessi, in the steel life-boats, and
subsequently by Colonel Mason of the American army, who was employed
under Colonel Gordon. Both of these officers agree that the southern end
of the lake is closed by a mass of "ambatch," and that a large river
reported as 400 yards in width flows INTO the Albert N'yanza.
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