The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-21

Tne Suez tanhts
The daring passage of Vasco de Cana
around the Cape of Good Hope led commerce,
and with it influence and power, away from
the cities of the Mediterranean. Venice, then
the most important of them, fell from her
proud position; her trade became myth her
only tolerated fiction. inc
route to the East and the control of the COM
MERGE there has been for ages the richest
prize that men have ever fought for. Spain
once owed her immense power to it, and
now England leans on India mainly for sup
port. The discovery of this Continent we we'll
know was made in searching for route to the
East. In fact, most of the great geographical
discoveries were made by adventurers looking
for new way to Farther Ind" The Pacific
Railroad has made a reality OF Columbus
dream. The road lies to the westward OF
Europe, and the shade of the old navigator
must have zealously watched the march Oh
the rails over the Continent
Another way will soon be open-a way which
has been dreamed of by engineers for centu-
ries-a way which has been the pet scheme OF
every ruler who has tried to found an Eastern
empire-a way which was known and which
was used in ages past; for the present work.
men have found remains which leave without
doubt the fact that former canal existed.
Next November will see gathering of celeb
rites such as the world never saw before; the
desert will receive the monarchs Of the West;
great fleets of war vessels will gather there 70
do honor to the occasion, and, OF course, ex-
cursionists without number will rally in bands
around NJ Lesseps, the hero of the feast.
The celebration of the opening of the canal
will be one of the most imposing ceremonies
French ingenuity can devise and French tact
carry out; and rightly 80. The completion OF
this great work is one of the wonders OF
this most wonderful century It marks new
era in commerce, in the world 8 history in fact
| 1t is prominent point from which future his
| torians will take their departure. 1t may
| become the cause of such wars as the earth
! has never yet seen. The changes that it may,
| nay, that it must work, are Of the utmost
importance; the stream Of commerce is rarely
! diverted into new channels without shock
and without unforeseen complications ensuing.
A struggle will certainly come, sooner or later,
| for the possession of the canal. The frequent
tours the Pacha is making and the solcitude
with which he is received all over Europe
show the jealousy Of the different Powers; the
Sultan who has so long been the ''sick man"
of Europe, begins to be alarmed at the pre-
| tensions of this younger member of his family.
! The pet aiment of the Sultan-Russian control
| of the Bosphorus-becomes almost Insignificant
when compared with the disease that bis son,
the Pacha, is threatened with-French control
| of the Suez Canal We have seen how the
great Powers have quarrelled over one "sick
man." what will the doctors do with two
! invalids on their hands, particularly when one
of the patients insists on badgering the othere
The battles of the Crimea may be surpassed
| by those which may take place on the narrow
neck of land which once united Asia and
Africa. Egypt may again become the grave
of French soldiers, and Turk and Christian
may again redden the desert with their blood.
What effect the canal may have, and what
effect it will and must have, we can hardly
guess; for philosophize over it as much as
we please we must find always the same
result. 1t is an immense work; it will pro-
duce results of vital Importance to Europe
and to the rest of mankind; it will create q
revolution in commercial circles; it will
bring into being new sources of wealth, and
it may bring about a fearful war. Let US
hope, however, for the best, and let US join
in the celebration, and give all honor to NJ.
Lesseps for his talent, his perseverance and
his pluck. He has fought the great fight most
| mapfully. and deserves all honor for it.