Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-01-24
Canal across the Isthc1us Ct suez.

r;lhesh Win lhc Iteu eel ny Il snip canal Is
seriously entertained, and active measures
are now being taken for its prosecutions
The present Viceroy of Egypt, Said Pacha.
has issued a firman, Ga decree) empower
Ing N. Lesseps, lis Chief Engineer to
form a company for the immediate con
struction Of the canal. sAs
+ There are two plans. One proposes that
the canal shall connect the town Of Pelu-
SUM, which is the nearest point to the Red
Sea, with Suez. The other would have
tne canal commence az Alexandria, and
take advantage OF the delta of The Nile
4 The former of these plans is deemed pref
cradle The distance across the Isthmus
from Potassium to the nearest point Oh The
Red Sea.is siyty-one miles. 1t is propos-
ed that the canal shall be 320 fee. broad
and 80 feet deep. Is estimated cost is
thirtv-fiye millions of dollars. Some Of the
heaviest capitalists of Europe are sail to
be interested i'll the enterprise
The following are he conditions entered
into between the company and the Niceroy
of Egypt We copy from the Journal of
Commerce.
The company is to bear the entire ex-
pcnse # the undertaking, and is bound 10
compensate owners of land for whatever
portions Of their ground is required for the
canal
The company agrees to pay, in the first
place, cut of their net revenue. ] 5 per cent
to the Egyptian treasury, and 10 PEE cent
to the first members Of the company. The
supreme regulation of tie rates OF charges,
and the statues of the company, is accord
ed to tie Egyptian government. Tie rates
ale to be the same FIR the ships Ct all ma
tons, without reference to partially.
The company, on the other hand, OBJ
I tailis--
LIST. The concession OF TIE canal for 80
years, to be computed from tIe day upon
which it shall be ope.cd for tie passage
OF vessels
/ 2I. The free grant of I'LL tie land h
longing TO tie State required for thc canal,
( (Which forms by FAR the greater portion Of
that needed for the work.
/ 81. s;evcniy-iiyc per cent of tie ne. rev
e.l.c to IL divided AMONGST he sharehold-
crs.
4th. The free grant ofall the state lands
which, although at present unpro;:uc.ive.
may be brought under cultivation by means
of irrigation, ut The disposal cf III compa-
ny.
9Th. The light to levya tax per acre o..
The land of private individuals benefited by
the water of the canal.
9th. TIE right to use free Of all charge
the quarries and mines belonging to the
St,te for al materials required f,r build
ing he canal.
18th. The power to import, free Of '!u;y,
I'll machines and other Instruments and
materials to be employed in tie executions
of The enterprise, for which, If lee. il the
country at tie termination Of the comes
sion, Ike company is to b. paid according,
70 tie value.
Tie principal difficulty TO be encounter
ed is said to be difference between tie
level Of the two seas a. Ugh water. At cbb
tide j; has been asccr!aineI that they have
the same level Bus there is a heavy flood
! .ile in the Red Sea, while there is scarce
" any in the Mediterranean. 1t propos-
ed to remedy thi; difficulty by tie con
strucion of Il capacious basin Il. tie point
where Tie canal enters The Red Sea, which
nay serve as 2 reservoir to be file: q.
flood tide, from which tilc water in the ca
nal will be maintained ut level six feet
above that of the two seas IT low water
Ii is hoped, however, that some method
will be discovered to obvia:e the necessity
and expense Of this basin. \ commission
of the most competent engineers has been
nominated 10 be associated with ii. Les
seps, to perfec. The plan of the work.
The great Importance of this canal to tho
commerce OF the world may be imperfect
" estimated from the fact tha. it will shor
ten The voyage from this country TO Asi;
5000 miles, and from many of the mos
important ports in Europe, more than doub
lie chat distance.
We copy the following historical state
ment, respecting former attempts of the
kind, from the New York Journal of Com
mcrce.
"Thc importance Of Il passage for YES
sells between the Mediterranean and tho
Red Sea has been felt and acknowledged
even in the rcmotest ages. The gIea. SEES
osiris 1850 b. c. was tie first who de-
viseI a plan for joining the two seas, and
ii is recorded that he actually did construc
a canal from the Red sea 10 Memphis. \
thousand years afterwards, King Nechc