The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-02


correspondent to pass over the entire line Of the
S1ez Ship Canal. between Port Said and Suez; to
spend some time on the fresh water canal,
between Ismaia and the latter town. and to forward
to the HERALD the earliest full account OF those
great works ever published In American journal.
In the communication referred to briefly pointed
out the difficulties which had then been overcome and
those which still remained to be met at che same
time stated the opinion, an opinion which more re-
cen. experience has proved to DO correct that these
difficulties had always been greatly over estimated.
and closed my letter expressing my conviction that
the work would be successfully completed within the
given time.
The canal may now be pronounced finished,
though from 1900 900 to 100000 cubic metres of
earth yet remain to be dredged from Its bed in order
to give 1t the maximum depth of eight metres
(twentysx feet three inches). Eight days only in
tervene between my present writing and the formal
opening OF the work. The completion Of the canal
may therefore fairly be considered an accomplished
fact 1t now only remains to be seen whether 1t can
be kept permanently open, and whether 1t will at
tract sucent business TO it to enable s pr0prietors
to make 1t pay.
Retrospects OF great enterprises successfully car
red to completion have this very important advan-
tage prospective speculatlons, that they
are profitable as well as popular which the latter
seldom are. No more favorable opportunity than the
present Is likely to offer for pointing out some Of the
more salient changes which this canal is likely to
effect In the commerce OF Europe aud in order the
more thoroughly to do this l propose TO consider
the questions of maintenance and probable business
separately.
First then, to the permanent availability OF the
canal for the purposes OF navigation. Granted that
the canal Is built, grave doubts apparently still
exist in the minds OF many as to the ability Of the
company to keep 1t open Mr.. J. Fowler, in his very
able report and letter upon the canal published
last year. stated as his opinion that the sitting up
OF the sand the Port Said entrance and the &C.
ton OF the waters OF the Mediterranean would be
found to be great that the western jettV would
have to be heightened and strengthened, and that
the more exposed portions OF the canal-such, for
instance as FL Gulsr and Serapeum-wOud have to
be planted with trees for the purpose Of attracting
the sand drift across the desert and keeping 1t from
falling into the canal.
In order to fully appreciate the validity Of Mr..
Fowers argument 1t will be necessary for the reader
to understand az fully as he can be expected to
without personal inspection the nature OF the har
Dor Of Port Said and the plan upon which the etties
have been constructed. win therefore endeavor
briefly to describe them
Port Said, as is now generally known, is situated
on the shore Of the Mediterranean 100 miles
nOrtn OF Ale4anQrla, anu nearly midway between
the eastern mouth OF the Nile and the Gulf OF
Pelense or Potassium Previous to the creation Of
the town it was simply low, sandy beach, open to
the sea and divided from Lake Menzaleh by mar
row ridge Of sand In order to form harbor at once
safe and spacious enough to accommodate the fleets
Of ships which expected to seek transit through
the canal it was proposed to build two jetties or
PIERS at right angles with the shore, which has &C.
cordingy been done. These jetties are respectively
$500 and $500 yards, rather more than two miles
snd one mile and q half in length. They are
1850 yards apart ut their shore end and $50
yards at their sea end, and embrace triangular
OF SIS This area has been dredged to the
depth OF thirty feet and forms the harbor.
audnt port, where vessels will anchor before enter
ing the basins which communicate with the canal.
The piers are constructed OF huge concrete blocks,
composed OF sand mixed with hydraulic lime,
brought from Thiel, in France, and weigh twenty
two tons each. The method pursued In constructing
the piers was simple as that employed in forming
the blocks. Three blocks were placed side by side
on the ocean bed. Upon these two more were placed
in similar manner, and on this substratum others
were dropped irregulary till the requisite height
was reached Great fears were entertained on the
occasion OF my second visit (Novemper, $780, even
by the engineers themselves that the Nile deposits.
which are continually finding their way eastward to
the amount 1t is estimated Of 900 cubic yards
per annum, would gradually silt up and obstruct
the harbor, Notwithstanding the shelter afforded by
the west jetty. These fears have unfortunately
proved but too wen founded, and bank Of sand Of
very considerable extent has gradually formed
within, as well as without the PIERS The change in
the shore line produced by the aliuviai accumula-
lions west OF the main pier Will not 1t Is thought
affect the utility Of the harbor though 1t may, in
course OF tme necessitate the lengtnening OF the
pier itself; but with the deposit that has already
formed within the harbor the case Is widely Diff
ferent. This difficulty, which might easily have
been obviated by building the jetties solid fully up
to, II not little above, the water line. thus pre-
Guiding the possibility Of the sand drifting through
| the interstices, as It now does threatens to be
serious expense to the company. In BRIEF 1t must
be admitted that this part of the work has failed.
The western Jetty II not both jetties must be rem
dered intact, dredges will have TO be employed to
an extent that will seriously interfere with the
| traflo through the canal
In reference to the second point raised BY Mr..
fowler-viz, the accumulation Of sand in the chan
mel OF the canal In ts exposed portions, caused
BY the winds on the. desert-there IL less need for
| discussion. SO long as the public mind remained
possessed with the idea that the whole line OF the
canal lay through desert composed Of fine, drifting
sand great stress was laid upon the hopeessness OF
keeping the canal open, and many saw, or pre-
tended to See in this q sufficient excuse for believ
| ing the project impracticabe. But with more accu-
knowledge In regard to the localities has come
q corresponding change In opinion. There are, in
reality. but three points throughout the entire length
cfthe canal likely to affected to any considerable
extent by sand from the desert. These are FL Gusr
on the north aud Serapeum and Chalouf on the
| smth. At these points the cuttings are deep, and
| ue banks consequently high ana much exposed
owing TO their height, the simple expedent or
forming a wall or dyke BY dcpositng the sand
dr&dged out OF the canal on either side OF the canal
wB found impracticable, and 1t may In conse-
uence be found necessary to construct an artificial
feuce to plant and shrubs, a. suggested by
Mr., Fowler A drcdge or two In Lake Timsan may,
| II ain. In fnrnh nneaaaarx