Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-07-28

removed was about 400,000,OO0 cubic
yards. At the opening of the cansl ut
on the Mediterranean side is ths town
OF Port Said, place of several thous-
and inhabitants. This CITY grew IN
entirely from the building Of the canal.
The barber at Port Said has the gen.
eral form of triangle, the base rest
ing on the shore. On the longest side,
on the west, protecting the entrance
from moving sand, is mole or break
water $500 feet long. 1t is proposed
to extend this mole $500 feet further,
and work on the same is constantly 60.
ing on. This mole is built of concrete
IN blocks OF thirteen cubic feet. On
the eastern side there is mole Of ;. $50
feet, protecting the channel between
the two moles, which mas 4 depth OF
twenty-sveen feet.
FORT SAID.
The outer harbor of Port Said is
equal to 40 acres. and will permit
twenty lineof-battle ships to swing free
ly at anchor. As this harbor is expos
ed to northeast winds, an inside basin
has been constructed. in which there is
ample room for forty five ships to be
moored with shore lines from the stern
and anchors at the bow or between
ouoys. For the first twenty-six miles
from Port Said the canal runs straight
inland and almost due south. The
banks are very low, the country
through which it runs being the bed Of
an extinct lake, and much of the earth
which was removed to make the bed
OF the canal, was used to fill the ground
upon which the town or Port Said
stands. On the western side of the
canal for distance OF twenty-four
miles hes Lake Menzaleh. a shallow
body OF water. TaGnty-six miles from
Port Said occurs the first bend in the
canal. 1t curves slightly to the east
wardI for a distance of two miles. Then
It again pursues a southerly course I'M
til It reaches FL Guiser. This is the
highest point of land on the whole
course of the canal. The banks Of
the canal at this point are eighty
five feet high, and two sharp curves
occur, making the point one OF diff
Guilty for long ships to pass. One and
one-half miles beyond is the entrance
of Lake Timsah, at which the town of
Ismailia lies. This is the headquar.
ters of the canal company in Egypt,
and is about forty-two miles from Port
Said. lsmailia is strictly European
town, only the officers of the company
and employees and other Euro
peans being allowed to reside there.
An Arab village is located some dis
tance away. Repairing shops Of con-
siderable Importance arc established
here, though the principal shops of the
company are located at Port Said.
Lake Timsah is about mile and a half
in length and about two miles in width.
Through this lake a channel has been
dredged and rocks necessitate Il very
sharp curve in the lake.
COURSE OF CANAL.
After leaving Lake Timsah the canal
takes an easterly course. running
low land till il reaches Sera-
peum. At this point high land is again
met, but only for short distance, the
banks averaging sixty-two feet high.
At this point, as previously stated, the
canal runs through a rocky country.
Alter leaving Serapeum the canal runs
south about seven miles and enters the
big lakes. These lakes, which have been
re-created by the building of this canal
are OF considerable size, and the larger
affords anchorage for ships. After leav-
ing the lakes the canal runs almost
south till it comes to Chalouf, where
the land Is again high, the banks reach
ing the hight of fifty-six feet Two miles
beyond is Suez, the entrance 10 the
canal from the Red Sea. The town of
Suez two and half miles from the en-
trance of the canal, but the company's
offices and q number of residences
of emplyes are located at the
mouth of the canal. There is fine
natural harbor at Suez. From this de
scription it will be seen that the canal
runs either through marshy lakes er
very low, sandy land, and at only three
points do the banks attain to any con-
siderable altitude. This is an import
ant point to consider in connection
with the defence of the canal from an
enemy approaching by land, as will be
shown. This canal was completed in
1869, and is owned and managed by
the Suez Canal company The COM
pany is French corporation, but a
large portion Of the stock is held in
England. The work Of building the
canal occupied about fourteen years,
and the entire cost was $50, ,S93, $50,
averaging $S0S, ,936 per mile. The
working cost of building the canal was
about $40, 100000. The rest was de-
voted to paying outside expenses in
connection with pushing the project
through.
DESTRUCTIBLE PROPERTY.
The canal has no locks nor elabo-
rate works of any sort, but it has con-
siderable property in the way Of build
ings and machinery. AT Ismailia, as
stated, there is quite a settlement, and
stations are located every five miles
along the canal A telegraph line ex-
tends along the canal, with an office at
each station. Lighthouses, bouys,
etc, are located III the lakes. OF
course, all this property falling into
the hands OF an enemy could be de-
stroyed and would have to be replaced
before the canal could be put in COM
plete working order, but traffic would
not or necessity have to be entirely
stopped until the work of reconstruc-
ton could be completed. In all prob
ability the utmost damage that could be
done could be so far repaired in ten days
time that ships could be got through
the canal. Really, about the most Sc
rious inconvenience that could be
caused would be to cut off the supply
Of fresh water, and that would not be
ditfic1lt undertaking. The fresh water
is obtained from place called Zagazig,
a point about half way between Cairo
and IsRailia. The water is brought
from this place to Ismailia by means
Of canal. and the fresh water canal
continues from this point TO Suez,
while supply is conveyed from Is
MALTA along the canal to Port Said by
a double row of water pipes. The
other means of procuring fresh water
along the canal and at either end of
it are very slight and insufficient.
To cut off this supply of fresh water
would stop business along the canal,
and, while it would be very simple
matter to restore the supply when
once the country was rid of the Egyp-
tan army, yet, as long as the latter
held control of the fresh water supply,
the canal would be practically at their
mercy; and, of course, with this water
supply cut off, it would be difficult 10
maintain force for the defense of the