The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1869-12-04
The Euez Canal.


terranean and Red Seas may be considered
formally opened to trade and commerce. A
brief description of the work may thus be
given
Starting from Port Said on the Mediter-
ranean. the canal runs southwark through
Lake Menzalch, shallow, marshy body Of
water, closely resembling our own Disna al
Swamp, to the intermediate port of Ismalla,
distant from Port Said about seventy-ive
miles, thence along the eastern shore Of Lake
Timsah (the lake Of Crocodiles) to the deep
cuttings at Toussoum and Serapeum, and
thence through the Bitter Lakes into the
last deep cuttings at Cheloup, debouching
about twelve miles further into the Red
Sea at point about one mile southeast of
Suez. The actual distance traversed by
canal is over hundred miles, about sixty
miles which run through the beds Of the
lakes Menzaleh, Ballah, Timsah and the
Bitter Lakes. Embankments are required
at Menzaleh and Ballah, but not upon the
others. The average width of the whole
canal on the top is three hundred and
twenty-eight feet, on low level, and mar
rover where deep cuttings have had to be
made. The average width at the bottom is
from two bnndred to two hundred AMI forty-
six feet There is to be an average depth
of water of twenty-six feet through the canal
The most difficult part of the whole under
taking was the formation of port on the
Mediterranean. Ten years ago the site Of
Port Said was nothing but low, narrow
sand bank, the resting place Of Aamingoes
and othel water fowl that frequented the
surrounding marshes On this unpromis-
ing spot, in 1859, NJ. Lesseps squatted with
an army of Arab workmen and commenced
active operations The first huts erected for
the engineers we're built on piles. a few
months wrought wonderful change in the
appearance Of the place. Solid land was
formed by dredging out the harbor and the
channel, and substantial buildings super
seded the rude shanties. At the present
time over 900 acres have been redeemed
from the marshy waters and Port Said is
now flOurshIng Seaport regular place
Of call for four lines Of steamers, with a com
modious harbor, immense workshops, great
stores of material, and motley population of
$4,000 souls made up of workmen and ad-
venturers of all nationalties. 1t has hand
some square named after Mr.. Lesseps, COM
Portable dwelling houses, and well supplied
stores. The great feature Of the place is, Of
course the harbor. In order to protect the
mouth Of the canal from the mud constantly
deposited in great quantities by the current
of the Nile, as well as to defend the ship
ping from storms, two immense piers or
breakwaters have been built out into the sea,
separated by an interval Of $50 yards. The
western pier is 2,700 yards in length, the
eastern one is 1000 yards, and between
them lies the harbor The material used in
the construction of these piers is a kind of
artificial stone, made on the spot from a
combination of sand and lime. The lime of
which these blocks are made was quarried
on the line Of the canal, few niles south Of
the port, there ground, and then transported
to the works. 1t was there mixed with the
sand, and subjected to hydraulic pressure in
huge wooden moulds. The moulds were
then removed, and the blocks left to harden
in the sun This process required two or
three months When ready for use they
weighed about twenty tons apiece, and we're
placed in position by means Of ingeniously
contrived machines. The canal leaves Lake
Menzaleh a place called Kantara, on the
Dessert, and passes over two miles of sand
hills to Lake Baltah through which it again
cuts in the same way for eight miles. Then
comes the first deep land cutting, from Fer
dane to Lake Timsah, the deepest Of which
is near FL Guisr, and from sixty to seventy
feet. Twenty thousand Fellahs were en-
ployed for two years in cutting channel to
the Mediterranean TO float the steam dredges
and fill the shallow basin of Timsah, for
merly fed BY the Nile inuudation only. This
lake is the central point Of the work, and on
its shore stands the new town Of Ismaila,
named after the Viceroy. tits the inland
port to the canal, connecting by fresh water
canal with Zagizig, fifty miles distant in the
interior, aud opening transit for the rich
agricultural products Of that region. The
journey from Port Said to Ismaila occupies
about eleven hours from Ismaila to Suez
about sixteen. Between Lake Ballah and
Suez there are two points (ths only ones
along the route subject to danger from this
/ source) where extensive precautions have
I been taken to prevent the drifting sand
from filling the bed Of the canal, viz, at Ell
Guisr and Serapeum. AT the latter point
it is proposed to irrlgate the banks and
plant them with trees, as the most effectual
means of protection. At Suez, the southern
terminus of the canal, the sea wall is on a
smaller scale than that required at Port
Said. Before the Company commenced
operations the town contained a population
Of about 5000, chiefly Arabs. 1t now
numbers over q, 900 inhabitants, and is a
place of much enterprise and constantly in-
creasng Importance. Of the present popu-
lation more than 1000 are Europeans. The
situation of Suez Is one of mingled dreari-
ness and beauty. In front Of the town lies
the sea, its waters Of a deeper blue than
those Of the Mediterranean. On one side
tower the lofty mountains Of Attaka, on the
other rises. the majestic head of Mount
0na; while behind the town stretches the
wide expanse of the great desert, without
tree, shrub or blade of grass to break its sad
monotony. But what gives Suez its princi-
pal value IN the eyes Of NJ Lesseps is it,
magnificent harbor, in which more than
900 vessels can find ample accommodation.
Should the canal be successful, Suez will
undoubtedly become fourishing and i'm
portant town.
InE maxim, "Strike when the iron is
hot. Is getting altogether too slow for the
age: you must make it hot by striking.