The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-08-12
NEW YORK HERALD WEDNESDAY AUGUST H. 8ss-rRlpE SHEET

quired In the aggregate 80 sos. The construction OF
each block costs 500. The total sum then required
| $3.50, 500 Although expensive at first this mode
demonstrating the breakwaters will ultimately prove
brought into contact with salt water assumes almost
| the density and durability Of granite. But many
objections were raised to these break waters by drec
| tors influenced Dy Theorists But when engaged in
| so Important task theories shoald be discarded,
even when backed by highest authorities, ana the
substitute means NOS tried for the fictitious stone
| that had answered SO admirably in other works Of
Cette and Dover.
| The manufacturing of these stones requires
patience and unavoidable delays the result when
energetic progressveness is the only thing that will
sustain the courage and confidence OF the share
holders. But the harbor and dykes are nearly COM
| depth the largest ships could now noat through
s9ez From the mole 20 me situated At the
channel has been excayated to the required depth OF
twentysix feet, and the following list OF vessels
In Port Said will testify to the truth OF the state
ment. In the inner harbor on the 18th OF this
month were:-Two steamships, each Of 1000 tons
tugs OF $50 TONS five sailing ships Of 75o tons, thif
teen barks, thee brigant1es, eighteen full rugged
ninety golettas and zebeaues When one con-
sders that these harbors and basins were excavared
out Of beach within the last I'VE years in the ace
der and to cherish hope that Monsieur de Lesseps
will In the time he promises-that is. by October,
1s6s-succeed In opening the grand ship canal
| throughout its whole length.
Port Said creation Yesterday population
derfnl fact In country like Egypt. About one
fourth OF the male population receive employment
| in the extensive manufactures which have been
built for the construction Of the machinery and roll
| Ing stock required on the canal.
cOn the morning Of the 18th your correspondent
started up the canal In the passenger steamer which
leaves Port Said every morning at six O'Clock for
time occupied in performing 1t by steamer Ia nine
hours, quicker speed being prohibited. A descrip-
difficulties encountered and overcome in the excava
| ton OF the canal.
a Ws
deal to see. At its eooIc5Ye the canal is widened
to COO feet and gradually as you proceed along
once portion Of Lake Nenzaleh, which was twenty
four miles long and twenty miles broad. The canal
were formed Of the silt excavated from its bed.
Formerly the ground occupied by the lake was 2
fertile plain under cultivation throughout its length
and breadth, from Dametta to Potassium. It was
said that the lake could not be dredged that the soil
an that the sIintest rinue Would de-
compose this mixture Of Nile mud and sand, and that
| the banks would vanish as quickly as they. We're
made. But here ID what proves the falacy OF these
bold statements. Standing the deck of the little
steamer saw the canal stretching away ahead as
breadth Of 800 feet. confined within its proper
| limits by two embellishments constructed with
| level as billiard table; a towing path firm
and solid, between the high embellishments and the
waters edges row OF telegraph poles planted in the
embellishments with two rows OF wires. Very often
the embankment is six hundred feet In width, but
| saw no signs of erosons In the banks; the waves
caused by the steamer did no damage; no signs OF
crumbling away were visible; the contrary, for
the first thirty miles there nothing to indicate
that the canal was not yet in general use AT every
| six miles we stopped at beautiful little stations
adorned in the picturesque style OF Swiss and French
cottages to deliver the mail and receive letters des
| tiued for the upper stations. Pleasant gardens,
blooming with flowers and verdant with the foilage
and when stopped at the stations hurdy gurdy,
life and harp were sure to commence their meIan-
choly tunes while the musicians in plteous accents
implOred US in the nme Of the Holy Virgin and the
saints to bestOw upon them one small SOU
Kilometre posts marked the distance that we ira
versed. Now and then passed fruit barges bound
for ismaa, boatoads of people passing and repass
ing, empty vessels returning to Port said for more
freight, despatch steamer or two hurrying by tug
boats ploughlng and plunglng past, steam dredges
|. going up TO fulfil contract and then the mail
merchandise. The most sceptical must be convinced
At this 1t Is all we saw for the first thirty miles on
| the canal. On each side OF the embankmentS were
the sheeny channels and expanses of the crcumam-
bient waters OF the lagoon OF Menzaleh. Glittering
tracts and mounds Of sand appeared here and there
Of the moon while the mirage which hung suspended
| above them like another armament gave colaatose
| appearance to everything.
| l.a KAUTARA.
| Eleven O'Clock we arrived at Kautara, the break
fast station. Passengers all got out 1--WE were fifteen
in number) and proceeded to q very pleasant hotel
| dignfied by the name Of "L'Hotel de pU,ntrers."
There four tables for the first second third and
fourth class passengers The fare the first class
was unexceptIonable, such one might get in O
second class hotel in Paris; but we were in the
desert Of the Isthmus 1t was much better than we
had right to anticipate. Here our party was
creased by the addition OF two ladies'
IMMENSE WORK.
Leaving Kautara at quarter to twelve O'Clock we
shortly came In sight OF where the construction Of
the canal was being pushed on with great vigor.
dozen dredges with their gigantic gibbet-hke cut
| lines were seen at work. On approaching them we
| machines. A fat-bottomed iron barge contained an
engine of eghty-ive horse power, which raised
the shore long shoot two hundred and twenty feet
| In length, two tons Of sand every minute, which
was forced down the shoot over the embankment
BY powerful stream OF water supplied by pump.
BY the other machines, driven by engines Of sixty
horse power, about fifteen tons Of sand were shot
work OF thirty thousand men. over two hundred
buckets, each bucket containing two wheelbar-
row loads scrape themselves full OF a semi-liquid
substance from the bed OF canal and empty their
contents on land every minute. The average monthly
Of soil for each s sas
ment, and as there fifty dredges In the canal and
IS the quantity Of earth yet to be excavated is about
sixty million Of cubic feet In two years from this
date the canal will be finished, even including q
margin to allow Of repairs and hindrances that may
Between Kantara and the next station Of Ell Fer.
dane Is the
which means the Lake Of Dates, as date trees were
plentiful IN its vicinity In former times, though not
the young trees lately planted around the stations.
The glistening, burning immensely of desert waste
has swallowed every vestge OF habitation that
existed near It, and the only features which demand
melancholy attention on Its whole expanse are
the dunes created by the fell breath OF the stormy
| Khamseen.
Ell 0UISR
We now approach the bluffs of Ell Guisr, the deep
est cutting that was required the route the total
depth OF which was sixty nine feet It extends over
length Of eight miles, from the village OF I'll Guisr
! to Lake Tmisah. The soil Is composed Of coarse
earth. To effect o cutting here 1t was necessary to
transport twenty-five million cubic feet to the natu-
ral basin Of Lake Tmisah Very peculiar machines
had to be imported expressly for this work. NJ
Couvreux was the contractor VINO undertook the
| job, which he has completed to the satisfaction Of
all. Before he could commence work with them the
| ground had TO be leveled along the canal for q
hundred feet or so, and short railway laid down,
when the machine was mounted upon a