Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1882-07-27
THE BONE OF CONTENTION.
Present Appearance OF tho suex Canal and the sys.
tenn under Which 10 IA Opsrnted

TEN under Which II Is Operated.
was glad to see how much of the
banks are now cased with stone. Trees
grow with difficulty in the sand, and
their roots suffer from the salt water. A
sandy bank is carried by the wash of the
steamers into the deep-water channel.
But this stones casing resists the wash,
and when IL If complete the company
will be able To- increase without danger
their regulation speed. We met with
no obstacle for two hours. In this
great highway Of nations we saw no life
save the wild marsh birds, and the waste
Of water stretching away TO the yellow
desert. There are cares or passing
places every few miles, where the deep
waterway is wideDed from twenty-fonr
10 fifty yards and sometimes more, and
a signalman system stops or allows to
pass the ships according rs the next run
Is free or occupied. We passed the first
gare successfully, but at the second the
bali was hoisted above the flag, which,
in canal language, means Ego into the
siding Nothing came by before sun
set, when all traffic ceases, and we lay
in the quiet moonlight with every in
iention 10 proceed at sunrise But when
] came up next morning to see the start
J found fleet OF great ships, each with
its NOISY little tug and yellow flag at the
masthead, slipping along in single file.
II was grand way Of realizing the work
Of the canal. Nineteen vessels went by
averaging, our Captain told me 800
tons burden. All save two carried the
British flag. Three were with pilgrims,
forecastle, main deck and quarter deck,
one mass Of life. Even the boats were
full of them. and from under canvas
awning peepcd the yelled face Of a
woman. One lot were Russian pilgrims
from the Caucasus eyage looking fell
lows in fur caps ant Hack cloaks: the
others were Algerian and Moors in
turbans and burnous. The rest of the
ships were cargo laden, twenty-five and
twcnty-three feet in water. All went by
safety till the seventeenth, the Scotch
Greys. came. She went yard or two
out Of her course. and at once aground.
She had passed us but others had still 10
come, aud there was nothing for ii but
10 wait till the Scotch Greys got free.
Hawsors were made fast Ia stern and
bow on either bank. and, after an hours
shouting, and steaming, and wincing,
the big ship swung into place again.
The rest came by without disaster, and
We got underway at / o'clock.
The canal is not big enough for the
present traffic, Shipping 10 the extent
81 over 5000, O0D tons passes through
every year. and il is steadily on the IN
crease. Ships have 10 wait their turn,
and much valuable time is wasted at
either end and in the passage. The ac-
commodation may be Increased in two
ways. The whole length of the canal
may be widened 50 a. 10 allow of ships
passing each other everywhere Such
work would not be difficult, but il would
be very costly The deep water passage
would have 10 be more than doubled In
width. as the slow speed makes steering
difficult, and ships in passing would re-
quire plenty Of searoom to avoid acct
dents, The present width of twenty-five
yards would have TO be raised To sixty,
but IL would not be necessary TO increase
the width or surface of the whole water
way, which is already 100 yards from
bank 20 bank The second mode of in
creasing the facilities Of passage il more
feasible, and has much to recommend
II. II consists in considerable increase
in the number Of cares or passing
places. and in the frightening of those
already in existence. There are at pres
ent thirteen, and they might easily be
increased 10 twenty. The same precau-
tions now practiced would be still en-
forced in The passing Of ships The
block system would be carried ont from
gare 10 gare. The buoying Of the pas
sage is already excellent, and there
would be no increase in the danger Of
fouling and iamming. The consequent
ces of such accidents in so narrow a
waterway as the canal are so serious
that ] think, on the whole, the increase
Of the cares is most 10 be recommended.
But one or other improvement is necess-
airy.