Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1878-05-30

On Che Suez Caual.
The idea Of : wases cpmmun5calion
between tie Red sea nnd the AksAieEs
ranean i not ol modern oAfain. Iis4
fifsi attempt Wa made IN ihe 6me of
The rhafeahs, nrd nnsly cgupieie8 a.
der rlolemy Philadelphia, Naeln4
Clenpessas reign lHia pkiinllave eanek
had become isapa hle. htk aaia II
aa fesleRd uaslNf khe hn GaAinhA iSA
Alse ssVNnlh <enlnrr ans lanaks1 ana
fI1F eeaEa leief Il Nas HAFeeseIT Efe4ed
Tor military fe81en tel abol.E ~ n,
1000 II was again rendered navigabie.
Finally, the old canal was permanently
abandoned, and tire sand allowed 10 GIL
the channel. The pioneer In more
modern times to give attention to the
project Of canal to unite the two seas
was Napoleon. His engineer. NJ. Le<
perc, went 60 far as to survey Foutes
but the enterprise received is DEATH
blow in the withdrawal of the Frerch
from Egypt. In 1916 an international
commission was appointed TO inquire
into the Feasibility Of constructing ca
nal, but IFS lab0rs resulted in nothings
excepting 10 prove that the differences
Of level between the two seas is but
three inches. Finally, in 1855, the
master mind of NJ. de Lesseps presents
ed a plan for direct route through the
Bitter Lakes, Lakes Timsah, Ballah and
Menzalah. la 1856 the energetic
Erenchman secured the necessary per-
mission, in spite Of The political opposi-
ton Of the English government, and In
1858 he opened the list Tor subscribers
to the capital. The Sctual work was
commenced in the Spring Of 1859, and
after various vicissitudes, too numerous
10 detail here. the great undertaking
was brought TO successful completion
in 1869. On the nth Of November ef
that wear almost all MISUNDERSTANDING
Jealous, doubling England-took part in
the ceremony Of declaring the Suez
canal open 20 the ships ofevery nation.
ahty. The entire cost Of the work will
aggregate about $50, ,000, 900; oil which
amount Egypt has borne not less than
one-half. Through a stress OF financial
difficulties the Suez canal company was
compelled TO transfer its title to the Khes
dive, and he in turn has but lately made
the British government the owner
And now the visionary canal at
which Britannia scoiIed has become Of
such importance 10 her interests that
the dame has also deemed Il necessary
To involve her people In destructive
war! The tariff for the passage Of ves-
sells is ten francs (S2) per passenger,
and ten francs per ton-the latter being
rated on the registered capacity. A
vessel sailing from England through
the canal TO Bombay will save nearly
5000 miles over the route around the
Cane OF Good Hope. The length ofthe
canal is Just 100 miles, Of which about
one-IhiSa was actually cut, and the
lakes which comprise the remaining
two-thirds were dredged TO secure the
uniform depth. The width Of the ca
nal where the banks are low is 32S
feet. and where the banks are high 100
feet. The width on the bottom i, ~
feet, and the depth % feet. The slope
Of the bank near the water line is one
foot in FIVE, and on the bottom one foot
in every two. When about half way
between Ismailia and Port Said the
little steamer halted at a spot called
Kantarah, 20 enable us 10 procure q
meal. And such meal il was Cur
eight passengers were usbered into
rough, low-ceIling room, which bad q
bar on one side and bare table on the
other. In the centre, under coal oil
lamp. was a round table filed with vine
bottles, pipes, cigarettes, etc., and sur.
rounded by as forbidding set of men
as the Imagination could picture. They
were far worse than any group Of ''for-
Nv miners" in California. The sinister.
looking host and his wife set the table
and finally gave us the rePast. II con-
sisted of coffee without milk, an omelet,
and leatheTy article dIgniGed with the
name Of chop. The only satisfaction
| had from the latter was TO feed good
natured, half-starved dog, who dis
PLAYED an inclination 70 make friends.
| The poor brute taxed bis powers Of
mastication 70 the utmost 10 dispose Of
that chop, and when it was finally ac-
compIished he locked up with con-
| seriousness Of at least one superiority
over man. During our meal the round
table party regaIed US with several Fol.
licking songs Of not the most refined
character. Upon calling Tor the bill
the Iandlady announced that the charge
was four francs each. We paid the de-
maud and'5eft, but our feilow-travelers
demurred and received reduction Of
one franc per person. So indignant
was the consideFate hostess that excep-
lion should be taken 20 her tariff that
she called TO the captain to upset the
boat
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