Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-04-24

A TRIP THROUGH THE sUEz CANAL.

AnAA AuhVVUA ln3 DU1A CANAAs
A correspondent of the Newark Adver.
tiserr, writing from Egypt, gives some
lresh notes as to the present condition Of
M. DE Lesseps' great triumph of engineer
ing. lza'-qel
Our voyage across the Arabian Sea.
eighteen hundred miles, was very pleas
ant, the sea being at no time rough enough
to make it otherwise. Alden, a small town
on the rocky island, is a sort Of halfway
house petween Suez and Bombay, and is
protected on the side toward the main
land from the southwest monsoon. M
ut is the most God-forsaken place
ever saw. Not tree or plant to be seen,
and the thermometer one hundred and ten
in the shade. No rain In five years. The
inhabitants are mostly Parsees, and the
place Is used as eoaling station for ships.
We left here for Babelmandcb. After driv-
Ing along with q terrific mansoon we
reached the straits. We passed through
on the Arabian side, where the mouth is
about i mile and a half wide. On the
Abyssinian side it is six and half miles
vide. There Is an immense number OF
rock and coral islands in the southern
part Vi the sea. AT p. n. on the second
day the gale got to Its height-the first
real blow since leaving home. fs
ION the morning OF the fifth day We
passed the straits leading to the Gulf OF
Acabah in about two hours from here we
could see the two highest peaks of Sinai,
some nine thousand two hundred feet
above the sea. Horeb Is little to the
south, only two thousand feet above the
sea. About one hundred and fifty miles
| north is Wady Pasan here could be dis
tinctly seen where OF former occasion
we had pitched our tent on our way TO
Sinai. On the morning of the seventh day
our ship came to an anchorage about five
miles below the town of Suez. All large
ships have to do the same. There were
some fifteen ships in port. Three of them
war ships flying the Crescent. The town
is an insignificant place built on level
ground few feet above the sea, without
a tree. shrub OF plant Of any kind. The
water for domestic purposes Is brought
from the Nile. One word about the canal,
the course of which is north and south.
The entrance to it is about seven miles
from our ship. On the right is animmense
hreakwater running to the Arabian coast.
"On the left the Peninsuar and Oriental
Company have made docks some two
miles from the town, with railroad to the
mainland. This road runs to Ismaila and
The Company have excavated in front of
the dock, so that their vessels come up.
From the breakwater and dock to the ca
nal two lines of buoys are placed. Be-
tween them and the sand has been eXca.
waited to the depth of twenty-seven feet,
and no vessel is admitted drawing more
than twenty-four feet six inches On our
receiving permit to enter the canal the
pilot took command of the ship. but We
were soon signalled to haul to-
We tied up TO the west bank, the wind
blowing fresh from this side, if from the
east then on that side About the time this
was done, along came Il ship of 5000 tons.
The arrangement was so perfect that in
three minutes from the time the ship passed
we were on our way. In the company's
office at Suez. also at Port Said, is a model
of the canal in miniature, showing the en-
tire length, the parts that have banks Ton
ly about one third have), also the parts In
the lakes, depth of water, width at bottom
rs well as top, buoys through the lakes.
lighthouse at end of canal and at the lakes.
All the police and telegraph stations have
piles for securing vessels. On the east
side there ere niilc-posts eighty five in
number, each mile divided into ten parts.
The whole is managed by 4 very rigid po-
lice. All the orders are given either at
Port Said OF Suez, they knowing at all
times the exact position rs well as the
number OF vessels in the canal. The toll
on our ship was 1920; the average num-
Der that passes through is nine or ten
per day. At 5 A. NJ, we came to Bitter
Lake, about fifteen miles long. Here we
SAW one OF those huge excavating ma
chimes. Ii was placed on two boats with
Lntx, 81 q \
an endless belt at intervals Of about six
feet. Each bucket holds about half ton
As there are no gates at either end there
cannot see why it will not he perfect
success. John Bulls opinion to The con
trary notwithstanding.
Arrived at Ismaila A. NJ, lust in time
To he left by the cars; found good quar-
tiers. The town is nearly deserted not
one house in ten is occupied. the inhabi-
tani> that are left look rs if they were too
poor To get away The town is two miles
from the canal at the northwest corner OF
4 small lake. Started the next morning
for Cairo. We're detained two hours BY
dritt-sand on the track. Arrived at Zig
gag Station. Here we passed the Rev. r.
! B. Camiiela, of Newark, on his way to
! Ismaili. Here we took the branch roadto
Cairo. The changes in Egypt in few
years are wonderful. The viceroy is hay-
ing everything his own way. He is open
ing canals. building railroads and tele-
graphs and bridges whereverwanted. In
Cairo one who knew it ten years ago
would get lost in consequence of the
changes. In place Of the old zigzag
streets, from six to twelve feet in width.
he Cthe Niceroy) is opening avenues from
the centre of the city in every direction to
the outskirts. from fifty to one hundred
feet in width. All new streets and ay-
enues are having water and gas-pipes laid
as soon as opened. There are many pub
lie squares and gardens; several of them
have fountains. There are many blocks
of stores, three and four stories high.
Some of them have stock of goods that
would do credit to any city. 1t has also Il
hotel; large fine building, with good ar