The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-07-10
The Snez Canal.

The prospect of speedy completion of this great
engineering work, from the latest accounts are now
very fattering TIE riginal plan contemplated the
running of canal 26O feet in surface width and 2G
feet deep, connecting Port Said the Mediterranean
with Suez, at the head of the Red Sea- a course of
ninety six miles From recent and trustworthy re-
ports it appears that the marine canal has been par
TALLY excavaed far Isnaileh, distance of forty
eight miles, or just onehaf the total length Below
this city operations may be said to have fairly
menced but great engineering difficulties needs
be overcome before the task will be successfully COM
pieted. The proposed route passes through high
drift sands which, when once excavated, it would
seem, must continue endless source of trouble
and expense, the action of the winds and the zorro
sion of the banks by passing vessels demanding con-
slant attention and repairs.
For the first nine miles north of Ismafleh the canal
is only dug to half its future complete width Beyond
this for the remaining distance to Port Said there
two channels, each of one-third the complete width
the portion being left that traffic may be
carried in the channel while work is progress
ing in the other The average depth throughout is
only seven feet.
To furnish supplies to the wofimen employed, a
tresh-water course has been opened from the river
Nile at Cairo, which runs in serpentinc course pass
ing by lsmaileh, thence in line nearly parallel
the main canal to the port Of Suez. lock rear the
former city joins the two canals and by Of it
vessel OF eighty tons burden not long since safely made
a passage between the Mediterranean and BED Sea-
AT the works at Port Said barges are at work
inside the har5or carrying earth from the excavations
out to in northeasterly direction, where it is in
no danger OF drifting back. One of the buildings in
the gardens which surround the Exposition buildings
is devoted to interesting collection of models of
these steam barges and dredges also models illustrat
ing the whole series of works both canals and the
| region OF country through which they are to pass
plans of the principal places along the canal Ell Guisr
Suez, lsmach and Port Said. The interest in this
collection is further enhanced by great variety of
stuffed birds insects and reptiles found in the vciuy
of the canal, and fossil specimens and curiosties
| earthed during the excavations. The whole is pre-
sided over by large sized stuffed camel.
Although interested parties have persisently pub
lished the most encouraging prospects, actually the
main Suez Canal after years of labor end mill
ions OF money nave spent upon 1T,
about third completed, and at the present of
progress full five gears must pass before It,
mercial highway, begins to repay the funds which its
protracted construction has absorbed
DISCOVERIES AT PoMpEII.-Another very interesting
discovery lately made is that of four skeletons-three
females and mae-now lying in glass cases, which
preserved in almost perfect fnlncss of form and
outline, but have been completely converted into gyp
sum. Even the fingers and toes are almost as plump
and round as on the day when, 1888 years ago. the
fearful food of fire and smoke took away their lives.
The process is explained as follows: These bodies
prosrated in the streets by the cloud of snocl
respiration and after them the ashes, light of
course, but piled up in enormous Masses SO that the
lower strata compressed into se}iaity.
At the same time then that the process Of decom-
position going on-very slowly of course, so far
under the surface-tlle ashes about the body appear
to have been encrused perhaps with the assistance of
the moisture that drained down through from above.
At last all the soft parts had disappeared and there
was nothing left but hole in which the more mper-
shable bones remained. 1t was a long time before
| i IL
and hundreds have been broken to pieces and lost.
The process now adopted is very simple, but very
efficient As as the workmen to a mass
supposed to be skeleton, it carefully probed, hole
cut through, and melted gypsum poured in until the
cavity is filed The result is perfect model of the
person as he was on the day when he fell in the streets
of Pompei Even the rings on the fingers remain in
place, and filed with gypsum. The male form has
about it belt filed with coins forming half
as large ones head with which he was attempting