The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1882-08-04
THE sUEZ CANAL.
A DESCRIPTION OF THE GREAT
WATER WAY.
ITS IMPORTANCE IN THE ooNTEsT--THl
FRESH WATER CANAL.

Cincinnati Times-Star
The Isthmus Of Suez, through which
the canal runs, from the Mediterranean
to the Red Sea, is merely neck Of sand
some ninety five miles in width. At no
point does it rise more than 150 feet
above the level of the sea. Except at
one point, Serapeum, there is no rock,
the soil consisting Of loose and shifting
sand. There was, before the building
Of the caual, the beds Of several lakes
dried up aud covered with salt, indica-
| ting that at some time hundreds, perhaps
thousands, of years ago canal had been
in existence across the isthmus, and by
that means salt water had been introdu-
ced and formed these lakes. The great
trade between Europe and Asia, aud
particularly between England and her
Indian possessions, seemed to necesitate
a shorter water route between the two
Continents thar that around the Cape Of
| Good Hope, but it was to the efforts OF Il
| Frenchman that the building of the
canal was largely due. The project Of
building the Suez Canal was suggested
by M. Ferdinand de Lesseps to tue
Khediye, Said Pasha, in 1854. The his
tory OF the building Of the canal is well
known, but some of the details showing
the immensity Of the work may prove Of
interest. Tue entire length Of the canal
from Porte Said Harbor TO Suez Harbor
is nearly 100 miles. The canal itself,
from entrance to entrance, is SO TIC
miles. The established surface width is
about 32S feet, except in difficult cut
tings, when it is not more than l80 to
100 feet The bottom width is from "
TO 100 feet, and the depth Of the canal is
at no point less than twenty six feet over
that surface. The total amount of earth
removed was about 100000. 600 cubic
yards.
The canal runs either through marshy
lakes or very low, sandy land, and al
only three points do the banks attain to
any considerable attitude. This is au
important point to consider 10 connection
with the defense of the canal from al
enemy approaching by land as will b'
, shown. This canal was completed II
1869, and is owned and managed by th'
Suez Canal Company. The company il
French corporation, but large por
ton Of the stock is held in England
The work of building the canal occupied
, about fourteen years, and the entire coz
was $50. 1898, ,665. averaging $SO8, 93l
per mile The working cost Of building
! the canal was about $43.5O0,OO0. Th'
rest was devoted to paying outside ex
penses in connection with pushing th
! project through.
The points of danger on the canal ar
!. those where the banks are high--that !
at El Guise, Serapeum and Chaloui
!. Attack by water is simply out of th
question, as the Egyptians, Of course
could do nothing on the Mediterranea
:, side, where the fleets Of Europe ar
assembled in force, and in ali piobabili
!, ! ty nothing on the Red Sea side, where
!. il the Egyptians should be able to pre-
y duce anything that looked like ship |
. make an attack. the canal company coul
3 make very good defense. The onl
n manner 10 which the canal could b
+ attacked would be by a land force, an
ii even land force would find it yer
q q difficult matter to approach il if properl
defended. Assuming that it was su'
cessfully attacked, aud fell into I'll
4 hands Of the Egyptian, the damage thu
g 8. could be done to it wonld Of course
considerable, but not irreparable. I'll
a n banks of the canal, except at fe
d points, are not stoned. 1t consis
= merely Of channel dug through u
ss e. sand and kept clear By dredging. whs
r required, though no great amount o. wol