The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-04-05
EGYPpS WATERWAY.
Life at Port Sa;d-The Canal sass for ve,:els-
The Britishers Alive to the Fact-An Anie-
rican Steamship Line Wanted
Some Facts and Figures


The weather at this point during this season Is
very pleasant, and such outdoor amusements as the
Orient offers may be freely INDUCED IN. There Is
doubtless among you an idea that this promising
settlement is all sand, Arabs and Egyptians. Ger
!a,nly all three are present, but the ea that the
amenities OF lie end there Is q sadly mistaken one.
Not having new colony to found, like my old
friend, the far West philosopher, shall not draw
natiering picture OF life here nor advise farmers
from the Central States TO come here and settle.
Our social life ls quic business is dull, but visit
In the cool Of the evening, little music, bottle
OF Bass and cnereot 90 far TO satisfy the longing
after domestic felicity. 1t may seem insuherably
monotonous TO gentlemen OF the Broadway psrsua
SION, yet there Is not the slightest fear of live
American citizen even In the land of the Ftolemes
lapslng into the mummy state or becoming living
endowment Of a petrided Rameses H., whom we
can Seso5ar:s. the canal Is tne great topic here,
stories or It's dangers to lie, limb and Ship
banking.
As regards shlpwreck-judging from the result of
the commerce OF The canal during the first year OF
It's eHistcncc-you must expect but me3gre report
under this heal, as can earn 81 but one vessel
lost among these employed in navigation via the
canal from the date Of Its opening In November,
1859, TO the LIST OF January, ls.l-yz., ship sailing
down the Red sea with wind and weather fail. This
Is remarkable inc and Ii borne out by future eX.
pericnee VIII tend to reduc the rates u insurance
figure ana to the annihiaIlon Of The remalning
commerce, winch some shpowners are trying 10
Keep alive Via tue Cape OF Storms, as 1t was desig
nsed ny the Nenetians when making desperate
Efforts 10 oppose the new route 10 India discovered
by Nasco dc Gana, which has since proved sucn
successful competitor for the commerce With the
lnuics As TO cause the ALMOST entire abandonment
" the ancient routes Via the Black anu Fed Seas
during more Gau lnree and hair centuries
England, after stubbornly opposing the construc-
ton OF he canal ana persIstenJiy asserting that the
work could never be brought 10 successful compile
iiu1 was not slow TO AVIAN herself OF the advantages
1T oilers, and has lost no 2e in adapting her steam
feel 10 The navigation or this new water highway,
o. VIII oe seen by the following list OF ships when
have passed through during the months OF december
ana January. While they prltc about ,he dlsadvan-
iages piesen,ed-tbe canal beng too shoal too mar.
row and too crooked Tor their steamers besides the
excessive charges leaving only ruin ald loss 10 the
oWners-we ana the fleet oil SHIPS passing under the
BriisA nag rapidly au9lentlng, ana the writer has
authentic information that one company engaged III
the china trade are making marvellous PROFITS for
during The month OF November last only forty-two
SHIPS passed, uut lii December the number increased
10 seventy two against niue i'll the corresponding
month 1862 viz.:-Thlriy-nlne British, S2,S0s tons
registers twelve Turkish, 1881 tons; seven Austrian,
6l0i tons SIX Egyptian 1900 tons; six French, 40
tons; one taan, sos tons; one DUTCH i5J tons; one
Portuguese 9SI tons.
For January We have the following:-Torty British,
seven freneh, four Turkish one Belgian, three al
IAN, fourteen Austrian, three Egyptian, one Spanish
aud one Anerican-the Aroma being the first A me.
I.can merchant ship That has passed The canal.
Thus, from niue SHIPS ia Decemser, 1859, we and
the movement Increased to no less than seventytw
III the corresponding month OF 1870, ana seventy
Our for January, 1871, with q revenue Tor each OF
these months OF more than $500. 600; and 1t Ii
thought the receipts for February will be more than
| q milton. Ii must now be apparent to every one
that II American line OF steamers Is not soon
| taplisled In this direction much OF our renainiDl
commerce with the Mediterranean and the East vii
inevitably pass under the British ana other foreign
Gags. Whatever Of exports we still send TO tnesS
countries VIII be replaced by articles OF foreign man
! Uacttlfe, aud the productions OF these countries
which ae mud 1t necessary to import will either
10 MS ia British steamers direct via British
pores, subjected 10 delays and onerous charges io
\ transShlyment, &c.
Regarding The depth OF the canal, ! should men
ton mat vessels drawing twentf-two and na,f Zee
can pass through without any detention.
Tue entrance channel TO Port said has depth O
tweutycght ieeI, aud the harUor Is accessible witt
any Wind.
Tie lighthouse Is leo feet high, supplied with
Brilliant electric light, which would throw tie famct
PharoS OF anc ent Alexandra lar i'll the snade anu
l presume no one VIII now contest the certaint,
tnat the Suez Canal VIII remain the highway OF ma
tons, and this almost une1ualled beacon VIII con
t'nue TO guide the mariner TO Its entrance long
shins continue 10 traverse lie ocean.
have only to say, III conclusion, that II there 1
, any enterprise left IN the land OF Uncle Sam w,
Should have Iii AnIettcan ilne In these waters beor
six montiis. see that the President, ;ssoe RewsDa
bers and ne country In general perpetuals dencc.
tue decline 81 Americas INGREDIENT navy, and We
where real opportunity offers, as In this martin,
section taey are Obliged - follow the lead OF our oil,
/ collpetitori England, 81