The morning call., 1892-05-30
A SECOND SUEZ CANAL.
An Unsuccessful Scheme for ParalIeIIu
De Lesseps' Canal

An Unsuccessful scheme for ParalIeIIng
De Lesseps' Canal.
When the Sultan of Turkey sent to Cairo
the frman investing the new ruler OF Egypt
as Khedive. he took occasion 10 affirm the
exclusive claim OF Turkey to the Sinai
peninsula. Nobody has ever known very
clearly where English territory in the desert
of Sinai ended or where Turkish dominion
began. The BedOuins of the desert pay
tribute to neither power, and in fact the
sovereignty Of the peninsula Is supposed to
be about as worthless possession rs can be
imagined. Many people wondered, there
fore, why the Porte should have gone out of
its way TO advance its claim to the peninsula.
The London Standard suggests that an
explanation may be sought IN the negOta-
tiOns which took place some years ago with
respect to the construction of second SueZ
canal. AT that time the LeSsepS canal WAS
at the height of its success. Trade was
brisk, frelghts were high, and there was
every prospect that the canal would yield
even larger dividends than 1t had
already declared. Certain capitalists
among whom were few Englishmen, but
more Levantne tinanciers. thought 1t would
be mOney-making scheme to build another
canal through the desert of Sinai parallel to
the SueZ canal. There are no engineering
difficulties in the way. LPsseps had proven
the praeticability of the Suez canal The
Chi y lltB ONt VI ii SllDIIdI NOIk was Only II
question OF money. The promoters eSti-
mated that they could construct canal wi h
larger carrying powers at a fourth to third
of the outlay expended on the oliglnal work.
The only difficulty was TO obtain permission
for lis construction, and with this object in
view they applied to the Egyptian Govern
ment.
The proposal was at first viewed favorably
by the Khedive, Tewfk Pasha, ana his Min
listers. Their idea was that Egypt as State
derived absolutely no benefit from the enOr-
nous traffic passing daily across her terri
tory. Tewhk was disposed to look kindly
upon project by which Egypt would be-
come partner In new canal and would
be entitled to large revenue or bonCs from
the profits of the enterprise The only
question was whether Egypt had the power
TO grant a concession for a second canal
parallel to the one Count de Lesseps had
built.
1t happened that when Lessons built the
canal he had omitted to Insist that no other
water connection between the two seas
should be allowed through Egyptian terri
tory during the period of the concession.
The matter was finally submitted to the law
officers or the crown, who were wholly
under British influence, and they decided
that while no specified monopoly was given
in the original concession the existence OF
such monopoly might be argued from the
assumption That LessepS would never have
constructed his canal il it had not been
taken for granted that, If his speculation
proved success, a second canal should not
be allowed alongside the first. Then the
project was dropped and has not since been
heard of.
Tie Standard intimates that the Sultan
desires to obtain from Egypt an admission
that the territory in question is q part Of the
P0rte's own dominions, aud nthis event he
could. either directly or indirectly. obtain
large pecuniary consideration for the right
hl ztf ftWanr nr
forbiddng the construction Of competing
SueZ canal.