Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-11
woLsBLRY's FIELD OF OPERATIONS.

The Suez canal and adjacent country are
the center of attraction to students of the
British campaign in Egypt, because of
General Wolseley's attempt to drive Arabs
| forces out of the Delta by striking the
rebels flank from the eastward. Suez, at
| the south end Of the canal, is about seventy
miles east of Cairo, the Egyptian capital.
A few miles north of Cairo the Nile d.
vides into innumerable mouths, the two
most prominent being the Rosetta and Da-
Meta, which divide like the prongs of a
Y. A point fifty or sixty miles northeast
OF Cairo, Zagazig, is the center of rail-
road system running all over the Delta,
and the head of a sweet-water canal run
ming eastward to Ismailia, on the Maritime
canal, and thence south, fifty miles to Suez.
The canal is ninety-six miles long. The
first considerable town, going south from
Port Said, Is kantara, which is likely to be
the base of operations. This is twenty-five
miles from Port Said. Seventeen or eight
cen miles further south is Ismailia. At the
point leaving Lake Timsah the canal runs
easterly through low land until Serspeum
is reached, and there the country is rocky
ard the banks are sixty-two feet high,
From Serapeum the canal runs south about
seven miles and enters the big lakes. These
lakes, recreated by the building of the ca.
nal are OF considerable size, and the larger
affords anchorage for ships. The canal.
after leaving the lakes, runs almost south
until it comes to Shaloof, where the banks
are fifty. six feet high. Two miles beyond
Shaloof is Suez, the Red Sea entrance to
the canal, and two miles and half from
the entrance lies the town of Suez. At
Suez there is fine natural harbor. The
population of Suez is II, 500, and there is
railway connection with Cairo and Alexan.
dria. Port Said has a population of 9, 900.
and Ismailia 900. The latter is connected
by railway with Suez and Cairo.
The New York Herald says s'The coup-
try from the canal to the Nile is one-third
desert The other two.t thirds consist of
alluvial soil and flooded territory, the
larger portion of the aggregate of which in
times of peace is under high cultivation
From Shalof, the scene Of the late action.
westward to Cairo, the country is noun.
famous, if overgrewn hills can be called
mountains. At any rate, they are noun
tains to the Egyptians. 1t is into this
Genetfe range that the 2, 500 Arabs retired
when they were dislodged from Shsloof.
This range, extending away to the citadel
OF Cairo, is the strongest natural position
In Egypt, and is on almost parallel OF
latitude with Suez at one extremity and
CAIRO at the other, with the almost due
east and west railway running along the
northern foothills. The possession of the
railway and the passes to the northward
will form doubtless the most interesting
military struggle of the conflict. if the war
does not end before such an event can trans
pire. To the northward of this range.
stretching away in northeasterly direction
to kantara, is the desert, bounded on the
east by the Suez canal. As before stated.
1t comprises about one. third of the
territory of Egypt. To westward of the
diagonal line drawn from Kantara to Cairo
lies the arabic and cultivated land. dotted
by thousands of little mud villages and IN
tersected by hundreds of canals for pur.
poses of transport and irrigation, particu.
larly the latter. The desert is the home of
the rpaming Bedouin, while the great allu.
vial state is the paradise of the fellaheen.
1t should be said, however, that along the
railway running due westward from Is.
MALTA to tap the Cairo and Alexandria
railway there is a narrow belt of reclaimed
desert land under high cultivation and
teeming with bright and prosperous settle.
ments, shaded by palm groves. This is a
delightful ride, and the traveller does not
soon forget it." 1t will thus be seen that
the movement on the part of the British in
occupying kantara, is to command the key
to the cultivated country and the desert,
where they confront, as it were, the Bedou-
ms and the trained troops at one and the
same time. The object of the occupation
OF Shaloof is likewise palpable, for it is the
eastern key to the Cairo and Suez Rail.
way, from which British troops can be
marched either southwark or northward
OF the Geneffe range, the eastern spur of
which is but ten miles from Suez.