The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-15

ficient however for the wants of the period.
Although of small and inefficient dimensions,
rs compared with the modern canal, it never
theess necessitated the excavation ot sixteen
millions of cubic yards Of solid matter, during
the long space of hundred years. 1t is certain
that the canal of Necos, which was long main
tanned in an efficient state by the Roman and
Nussulman conquerors served also for the irri
cation of adjoining lands, in common with the
other fresh-water canals constructed by the
ancient Egyptians.
When sent by the Directory to Egypt, in 1908
Napoleon was the first to discover and bring to
notice the traces of the old canal near Sucz and
Immediately named commission TO examine
and report on cutting across the 18th
mus. The report was made by NJ. Ia Pcre, who
was at its head, and is au able though Etterly
incorrect one. He theories largely on the pc
culiar formation of the Isthmus, and insists it
was formerly part of the bed of the sea, which
had gradually been reclaimed from 1t by natural
causes citing many curious facts in support of
his theory.
But when it came to the practical engineerin
details, he is all wrong; for he declared the leve
of the Red Sea to be thirty feet above the slev,
of the Mediterranean. Subsequent research ha
proved the real difference to be not so many
inches actually. Yet the blu lder of VI. Ia Pere
was accepted by all the leading engineers o.
| Europe until 1916. Bonaparte was dissatisfied
| with this report, and not deferred by it from
| prosecuting the matter; but he was summoned
| to another sphere, to commence his great career
in Europe, before the full report OF the COM
mission could be given or further researches
made.
| ny. Lesseps' Project.
| The first step towards the construct ion of the
| present canal was made nearly quarter of
century ago. In 1916 a commission was issued
| to Robert Stephenson son of the famous inven-
tor of the locomotive on the part of Great
Brtan to Talabot, the great French contractor,
on the part Of France, and to Signor Nigretti, the
scientific chemist and engineer, on the part of
Austria. During that year the isthmus was sur
veyed by them and the scheme pronounced
feasible The only serious impedment to the
success of the undertaking which then pre-
sented itself was the continual danger to which
the canal would be exposed by reason of the
sand storms the desert. To meet this diff
Guilty various mechanical remedies were proposed
and the enterprise pronounced practicable Yet
nothing further was then attempted. VI. Ferd-
nand de Lesseps, who had been French Consul
ut Alexandria in 1881, returned to Egypt early
in 1854 to receive this project, and was received
with enthusiastic affection by his former COM
panion, Said Pacha, who had ascended the
throne on the murder of his nephew, Abbas
Pacha, few months before. He was treated as
the guest of the VcerOy--a palace assigned to
his use, as well as Il retinue of servants in all
respects he was entertained more like n prince
of the blood than private individual. He
sounded carefully those representatives of the
foreign powers in Egypt who had diplomatic
functions, but met with no encouragement, ex-
cept from two of their number NJ. Ruyssenaers
the Dutch, and Mr. De Leon, the American,
Consus-General. These two were much struck
| l,,,4 4I,h 4
plan, and the great advantages which would
accrue to the commerce of the world, in break
ing up the English monopoly. NJ. de Lesseps
also enlisted the aid of the two
leading engineers of the Viceroy, who
were Frenchmen also-M. Mongel Bey
and Linant Bey-and obtained from them
accurate estimates and plans, as far as such were
procurable, and interested them in the scheme,
both on personal and national grounds. Having
thus prepared the ground, and secured the iniu-
ence of the two foreign agents who approved of
his enterprise-both of whom were favorites
also OF the Viceroy-he boldly proposed 10 Said
Pacha to patronize the undertaking, and OBJ
tanned from him the concession required, en-
powering him to form an International company
for piercing the canal to connect the two seas.
This was in November, 1854.
The first exploration of the sthmus under his
supervision was made in December, 1854, and
january, 1885, and the present line of survey,
which was ascertained TO be twenty-ninc French
leagues (about ninety English mlles) in length,
decided on. In November 1855, another inter-
national commission visited the isthmus, but
beyond the publication of their report June,
1856, little of consequence was accomplished
until 1853 when La Compagnie Universelle
Maritime de Suez, or, as it was familiarly known
to English readers, the Suez Ship Canal was Or
| paniZed. with n caDitDl of 10 0000 ono
Its Execution.
For many of the earlier years of this interna-
tional enterprise English diplomacy threw all
the obstacles its ingenuity could devise in the
way OF the execution of this work fearing to
allow France to construct short cut to her
East Indian possessions The ingenuity of this
nation of merchantmen detected weak spot in
the concession viz: that which provided that
''in all cases ut least four-ffths of the work.
men should be Egyptians clause inserted
through the jealousy of the Egyptian Govern
ment to prevent too large an introduction of
European laborers into the country This labor
was to be procured, as all Egyptian labor ever
was, and is to this day, both for private agricu-
ture and public works, by the system of
''cOrUee, that is, conscripton for compulsory
labor for a limited period Cone month";, at n
fixed rate of recompense. No sooner, therefore,
had the new company under the
active superntendence of NJ de Les
seps, collected twenty thousand Fellahs
as laborers giving them much higher pay than
tba No.