, 1875-06-16
THE SUEZ N
From The European MaiI.)

J A Wellinformed correspondent says MANY
have been the rum0urs about the failure of the
Suez Canal, either from the drift sand of the
desert or from evaporation, but very few of US
were prepared for the contingency of its being
sailed up. 1t appears, however, that the whole
canal is likely to become a colossal salt
pan. The sun is fierce in the land of Chem,
and added to it is the hot blast produced by
the burning sands Of the desert. Under such
conditions the evaporation must be great. The
water was let into the canal six years ago, and
q correspondent furnishes the Morning Post
with some interesting data which indicates the
action which has been going on. Thirty-sev6n
pounds of sea-water is said to contain | ID. of
salt the water Of the Red Sea at Suez con-
tains something like this proportion, as indica.
ted by the salinOmeter. In the Bitter Lakes
it has been found that every 81 lbs. of the
water already holds 2 lbs. of salt in solution.
With this fact before US it seems certain that
the fate which befel Lots wife will be that Of
the Suez Canal. If the amount of salt is
doubledin six years, how many years viii pass be-
fore it becomes a solid massf The answer can
not be difficult. When time has realised this sad
history, a pillar of salt will then be a most fitting
monument upon which to write the epitaLh Of
II. Lessep5.grand. work. Scientific facts and
figures seerP as cold and remorSeless as an ORR
ente..ozecutioner; and the one wipes out a
great and useful work with as much indiffer-
ence as the other. sweeps off the head of a VIC
tim. As no one can look on, or even listen to
the tale of an execution without some touch of
sympathy, 50 no one could possibly hear of the
SneZ Canal becoming useless without a. pang of
regret it is, therefore, satisfactory TO know
that there are some other elements TO be con-
sldered besides those already given. Water
can only hold a certain amount of salt in solu-
tion, after which it will come to the surface
and form a crust. Such q crust. is to be seen
on the borders of the Dead Sea, and on the
Salt Lakes of Ladak, only it is. to be remem-
bered that these lakes are fed by streams. or
rivers of fresh water, such as the Jordan, and
contain an infinitesimal amount of salt in com.
parsol to that which flows into the Bitter
Lakes from the Red Sea. What has taken
thousands of years to accomplish in the Dead
Sea will be produced by the evaporation of
sea'water in q land like Egypt in a compare
lively short period. When the white crust
IS formed it will, to a certain extent, pro-
tect the water from the sun, but.it cannot stop
the evaporation Long before the steamers
which pass through the canal begin to be con-
structed with extra iron plates on their bows,
as II Intended for the Arctic regions, and which
may possibly become necessary 60 protect the
sides of the ship when the crust in the Bitter
Lakes has become thick, and masses Of salt are
floating about, these, same vessels will be
bringing home or taking out that most useful
commodity from this great ~salt-pan, and be
thus diminishing the accumulation. The pow
or of production will be so great that the whole
world may. be supplied. In many countries
salt is scarce. In Abyssinia pieces of it are
used for money. India could take large guam
titles. Turkey, Austria, Italy, in fact the
whole of Southern Europe, are all now, by
means of the canal itself, close to this great
mandatory. Asia is on one side and Africa
on the other, and all require salt. Should this
useful article become a nuisance in the canal,
no doubt facilities would be given to those who
came to remove it. Already, the same writer
says. the Kh6dive has given, or is about to
give, a concession for the manufacture of salt
on the Bitter Lakes. How far the commerce
of this article will in the future affect its accu-
mutation is a question as yet beyond solution.
The facts are stated, as far as they are. known,
and it is certain that whatever affects such a
great public work as the Sueg Canal must be
Of interest to all.