The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-12

seps-
Suez Isthmus and tho Old Canals.
1shAILIA. IsTHMUs OF SUEg)
Nov Is, 1863.
The Isnmus Of suez because OF its characteristics
was considered by the Kings OF Egypt In clden times
- good defence against the Assyrian kings and
the nomadic tribes OF Persia, the Tartars aud the
Aesopoamians The two seas which bound it north
and south were almost connected by chain or saline
lakes which occupied every depression on the Ista
mus. There is evidence enough to prove that;he
Red Sea and the Mediterranean once commingled
their waters In the prehistoric times and that the
sand which now separated the two seas mad been
gradually heaped into bars and hiliocks which
spread became united, and finally. by action OF
strong winds and tides, formed the lsthmus. For in
the time OF Isaiah this same process was taxing
place. The Bitter LAKES, now so called were then
put the extreme reach OF the Red sea- and when
ISAIAH Eliminates against Egypt he threatens to cut
Oh tne tongue Of the Egyptian Sea. NATURAL this
operation mad taken place. This reach OF sea- &C.
corning 10 tue laws OF nature, was even then being
SolaIed. A bar was forming al the southern ex-
lfemi'y OF the Bitter Lakes, which we ind this dag
10 have expanded into the width Of eighteen
miles Of finest sand, and this same process
OF oar making was found OF the origtuators of
tne present Suez canal in operatl on a niue 70 the
southwark OF suez- There was always natural
drainage IN this lsthnus 70 tue Mediterranean little
eastward OF the Bitter Lakes was the famous Ser
ooman Bog, In which 1t was believed several hostile
armies had been enguifed. Then came the Bitter
Lakes, eighteen miles long; Lake Timsah two miles
long; the Ballah Lakes anu the extensive lagoon of
Menzalea. Between these lakes sinuous stream
ran towards the Peusiac marshes near Mount
saIr nil
facture Of SAT-
We're commerce the aim OF any nation in tho wear
1000 B. c.. how feasible the plan OF canal tnrouch
this Ethmusl Excayate trench between these
iacustrine links, and the canal was done. But In the
year 1000 b. Q. the Egyptians, VINO claimed the
slhmus as their territory regarded with horror
luose WHO navlgated toe deep ana dwelt In ships.
Day, those unfortunate sailors whose misfortune 1t
was 10 % wrecked on the coast OF Egypt, were I'M
medateiy offered up as sacrifices to the God Busilis.
Also the Egyptians possessed no forests wherewlth
TO build seawortnI snips. Their Nile galeys were
built expressly Tor river Eade between the Delta
Meroe and the intermediates ports on the Nile But
the ocean they regarded with horror notwithstand.
Ing that they saw the merchant SHIPS OF Tyre Sidon
Carthage amt Greece NJ Their ports. the pn nicans
ana Greeks swept the seas from the Palestine coast
unto the Pillars o. Hercules from Potassium unto
SalamS and the PcoponnesuA solomon despAt ched
ais SOUPS down the Rel Sea from Ezl0ngeber, near
tho modern sue1, to opnir and Ind. for gold,
basam and spicsA But Is was impossible that
people naturally brave and great In arts should
long stand alool from the BENEFITS to be derived
from commerce and ocean navigation, and accord
ingly we nnd the Egyptians under Psammet.cas
utilizing the means they had for Its promotion and
even rivallng the Greeks aud Phencians IN
maritime pursuits The corn, the linen, the drugs
the exquisite and rich manufactures In gold and
silver were exchanged by the Egyptians fol
Cyprian copper, Lebanon cedars. Tyran dyes and
ships from SIdon and 1arsns THIS mutua
reciprocity, which had long before madt
Sidon u mart OF nations and Tyre maker OF kings
made Potassium great city, made sais prosperous
Eaucratis famous me corn OF the Nile and tn
harvests OF Egypt were exported by Potassium TO
the purple and rich vestments OF Sldon and Tyre
Ph9aicia waxed strong aad the cities OF the Delft
became pros porous under Psammetcus. Upon tn
ruins Thebes ana Memphis sprang the coast cite
OF Potassium, Tunis, cais, Menaes ana UanoDus
The King Of Egypt Necho H., son OF Psammeti
Gus was genius Tor his tunes. He was the great
est king Of his age, la advanced above his roya
contemporaries. lie saw the value OF commerce
and consequently his views were considerably en-
larged by the prosperity which followed lis culture
He heard OF the gold of ophr OF Inc precious
that lay beyond the seA Could the ships IRON ia
Me but trade directly thttaer what Treasure
might not now into his coiers What ne,
lands might not DO conquered Before sue
happy visions Of boundess wealth. with %
means oil realizing them a. hand, Mech
determined upon constructing canal that s1oui
connect the Nile with the hed Sea, which shoul
start from BuDastis, tho then capital Of Egypt, b
Pathumos, or Thouzn, through natural sandy rdyiae
past Metropolis and into the BitLer Lakes, whic
then was separated from the Red sea by only wid
bar IL was to be WIDE enough for TWO ships to pas
each other freely when abreast; it was to be Zee
enough for the largest SHIPS OF the period. Ihoug
Q most roundabout canal for PhUenician and Tyria
ships TO sail TO india, yet 10 was practicable plar
BubasVs lay but sixty miles from the Bitter Lakes
One hundred and twenty thousand slaves were ell
pioyed on the undertaking for three years, at th
end OF which time M became evident that IL III
canal was dug the waters OF the Red Sea woul
Overflow Goshen inundato the Delta and ruin Egyp
besides, according 10 the PRIESTS Gecbo was warne
that W constructing this canal Tor navigation
even should destruction to the land b
salt water not be the result harbarou
invaders from unknown lands were invite
to como and conquer. The work was therefore
reluctantly relinquisned though 80 near ,ts con
pleton. Traces OF II have been found to with,
twenty-five miles OF Suez on the route IRON zauazt
The works IRE solid and durable the banks
some places being lined with brick and grant
which look, even 20 this day, almost az fresh and