Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-01-06

rhe Exact Condition Of the Suss Canal

rhe Exact Condition Of the SusS Canal.
So many contradictory reports con-
; cerning the Suez Canal have been cir
culated since its formal opening on the
18th Of November that there are no
doubt many persons who are in doubt
whether there is any canal ut all. Mr..
>malley. special correspondent Of the
n. Y. Tribune, who went through the
canal, after reciting some of the thing
that it was expected to be but isnot,
says:
Then what is there! 1t is difficult
to answer even this question in q pre-
else and positive way, Opinions are
not perfectly agree |, facts cannot be
lscertaine,l with perfect accuracy. Bat
julsing Us best can from all 1 have
seen and heard, this is what / believe:
rnat there is a canal from Port Said to
>uez varying in width from GO To 100
metres ut the water line, varying in
width from l l to y metres at the bot.
tom. varying in depth from to me
tres "A canal through every part Of
which steam vessels drawing not more
tina II feet may pass with perfect
safety and ease; through which steam
vessels drawing not more than Ii feet,
not more than 25O feet long, may pass
without serious Inconvenience through
which steam vessels drawing Is feet,
possibly IL, and 800 feet or a little
more in length, may pass with difficult
ty at the risk Of frequent groundings
and with much uncertainty and delay,
above all in the curves Of I'll Guisr and
roussouiu-in word, the Peluse, that
was such u nuisance to the fleet, has
done us the service of measuring the
extreme present capacity of the canal.
And the Peluse drew Is feet inches,
and is 3l5 feet long. 1t should be
added that the passage is much more
difficult and dangerous for side-wheel
steamships, than for screws Of equal
draught and length. To that extent,
the canal is a success, and is capable
of being used, if the Company still
think best, at once.
Or course, it must be added that this
does not constitute success in the
commercial sense. AS 1t stands to-day
the canal is triumph Of engineering;
the canal which the world wants as q
means Of safc and speedy transit
through the lsthmus remains to lie
Completed The commerce between
East and West cannot be proitably car
ried on in ,u Ia sni As can now pass
safely through the canal. Take the
Sennar as an illustration. She drew
l | feet inches. Put coals into her
for II three weeks or even two weeks'
voyage. she would have room left for
not more than 600 tuns of cargo and
she would draw at least Ii feet. That
is. she would approach the extreme
limit beyond whicn vessels cannot ca
silly AMI safely pass-and shipowuer5
will not go beyond that-wnile she still
could not carry cargo enough to make
her vo,age profitable. Such vessels
rs the Peninsular and Oriental Com
plny and tie Mcssageries lmperiaics
own and are building will still transact
the commerce of Europe and Asia.
When they can pass through the canal
will have become practicable route in
the commercial sense not before. The
advertise nents for ships drawing not
more than 20 feet has done nu great
harm. Commerce is always tinid
Snipowners waited to see what hap
pene,l ON the 18th Of November be-
fore they dispatched steamers ON
VOYAGE still doubtful. But it happens
that the Spanish Government-tL is
caliel Government by courtesev-
was III Jre creduous or les, cautioIs.
rnere lies in the harbJr of Port Said
Spanish corvette, Oh her way to sia-
ton in the Indian ocean, drawing her
IL o. 20 feet, seat there To pass through
the canal. wIich she cannot enter. |
suppose there Can be no doubt that tie
canai Company, on the faith of whose
pledges tine sap cam, i, liable in dam
ages for the cost OF her voyage aud her
detention. lfthe people had believed
ten they might have had half the In
dian heets ot Europe and A.nerica
dancing ATTENDANCE at the mouth of
the canal which would not have beel
an auspici. 'us-'penng.
have met no one who rates the act
ual mercantile capacity Of the canal
,igher than have put it, but op.n-
ions vary considerably as to the depth
Of water, for instance. Two eminent
En- = ,gineers, Mr. Hawhshaw and
Mr.. Bate nau, went through the canal
with the titet. Mr.. Hawkshaw sound
ed his way from time to time, and is
r-ported as saying that he nowhere
| 10 md less than nineteen feet depth.
Ii he h ii sounded wlere tie Peiuse
touched SO often, he would certainly
have TO and less.