Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-01-25
The Suez Canal.

The enterprise of modern times is BRING
ing together the ends of the earth. The
great movements of the day are largely for
securing more direct and rapid communi-
cation between distant anG widely separat
ed lands. Obstacles that apparently are
insurmountable, and the barriers that ma
ture has inUerposed, are set aside and over
come by the energy and skill of capital and
science. Feats Of engineering that are as
founding, and would once have been in
credible, are now not uncommon. The
successful completion of the Atlantic Tel
graph and of the Pacific Railroad, are still
recent, and to these has just been added
another no less wonderful or important in
its commercial relations.
The latest triumph of modern science
and engineering is the completion of the
Suez ship canal, connecting the waters of
the Mediterranean and Red seas, thus
greatly shortening and facilitating the
means of communication between Europe
and the distant East. History informs us
that the two seas have been connected by a
canal at least twice, once about six humid
red years before Christ, and again about
six hundred years after But they fell in
to disuse, and the only communication for
centuries was by caravans, until the rail-
road was opened.
The present work, which has been per-
formed under the direction of a French
engineer, NJ. de Lesseps, was commenced
in 1859. The canal is IS 10 miles long,
325 feet wide, and % feet deep. The total
cost is about SS0,000,000 Though built
by French enterprise, the ship tariff Is to
be the same for all nations. The passage
through will occupy from fifteen to twenty
hours. At each end Of the canal enormous
harbors had to be constructed 20 secure a
sufficient depth for large ships, and on the
Mediterranean end to protect it from the
enormous deposits Of mud continually
brought down by the Nile
The ceremonies connected with the open
ing of the canal occupied the third week OF
November, and were of very imposing
} character. The Empress Eugene, the EN-
peror of Austria, the Princes of Prussia and
, Holland, and many foreign ENJOYS were
present, together with an immense multi
tude of spectators, the Viceroy of Egypt
5 having invited 8 600 Europeans and 25,OOC
Orientals \ fleet of steamers, led by the
: imperial yacht of the empress, passed thro
the canal and anchored in the harbor o.
i Suez, when the canal was formally declar.
t ed to be opened to the trade of the world
= Some idea of the changes to be effected
a by the completion of the enterprise may bt
e gained by considering how it will diminish
= distances. The distance from London tC
a Canton by the Cape of Good Hope is l6,
TO- 100 miles; by Suez, 10000; by the Pacific
Il railroad, 49, 800 The distance from New
d York to Canton by Cape Horn is 21,70C
r miles by Good Hope, II, HOO by Suez
d II 800, the same as by Panama; by Pacific
r railroad, 10000. By this it appears tina
T the canal will not only be the shortes
t route from all parts Of Europe to India anC
n China, but, until a canal is built across tn,
Isthmus Of Panama, the cheapest ever
from our Atlantic ports, avoiding the ex
5, pense of two reshipments.
S But the completion of this canal is no
only interesting in commercial point 0
view. All the great changes of the worlt
u are in the interest Of Christ and his king
IL dom, and this event will contribute it
d share tc the progress and establishment 0
y that kingdom. Not only will it bring tn
u influence of Protestant Christendom NOR
II directly upon the Mohammedan institu
II buttons Of Egypt, but it will increase tn
l. effectiveness of missionary operations i
VI Oriental countries, bringing them so niue
II nearer their centres of direction and con
IL troll 1t is also noteworthy fact that in
;; telligent Jews connect this event with tn
II future material and religious interests {
II Palestine, believing that the completion {
J. the canal is an important link in the chat
of prophecies that are to be fulfilled befol
$ the Lord will return to Zion" Thus
- is that purely secular enterprise not onl
VI promotes trade and commerce, but minis
lie tiers to the highest interests of civilizatio
ie and Christianity.