Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-02-21
DE LESSEPS.
Facts in the Life of the Great En-
gineer.

gineer.
Nlcomte Ferdinand De LeSSepS, G..
G.. 5. l., just dead, was born at Ver-
~sailles, France, Nov. 10, 1905. In 1923
he entered the diplomatic service as
an attache of b consulate at Lisbon,
and subsequently served in like posi-
tons elsewhere. He was consul at
Barcelona in 1912, when that city was
b~or1barded, ah1 was Jealous in the
protection of the lives and property
of French citizens, and afforded an
asylum TO SpaniardS on board the
vessels of the French feet. He was
among the first to urge the eXpediency
of constructing canal across the
isthmus of Suez, connecting the Medi-
t~erranean sea and the Indian ocean.
After unremitting effort for many
years he obtained a firman from Said
Pasha in 1854, and enlisting French
and English capitalists, undertook the
work, which was vigorously prosecuted
to completion, despite many obstacles
that would have discouraged a less
reSolUte man.
The viceroy of Egypt granted a con-
cession in 1856. The ~practicability of
the project was questioned by many
of the most eminent engineers of the
world, and was ridiculed all over Eu-
rope, and especially by English engi-
neerS. The work was begun in 1859.
1t 500 commanded the attention of
various governments, which subscribed
Iihnrallu tn tho 1In1orta kin ~ oS +hn
work progressed and its p~racticability
became assured. The Turkish govern
ment rendered substantial help, but
this was construed as an attempt to
strengthen the political power of the
porte in Egypt and was resisted by
the other powers interested, princi-
pally Great Britain and France. Work
of these complications, but finally the
matter was submitted to arbitration
and satisfactorily adjusted.
A canal of sufficient depth to admit
of the passage of small steam vessels
was opened Aug. Is, 1865, and by de-
grees the channal was d%eepened and
enlarged so that small ships and
schooners were enabled to pass
through in March, 1867.
Aug. Is, 1869, the waters of the
Mediterranean mingled with those of
the Red sea, and the formal opening
of the canal was celebrated with great
pomp and rejoicing at Suez, and on
Nov. IS the canal was formally opened
to Port Said. Representatives of all
the principal governments of Europe
were present on this occasion, and the
fetes were among the most imposing
ever witnessed in modern times. A
grand professional fleet consisting of
40 vessels successfully made the pass
age from Port Said to Ismailie.
A few days after this event M. De
Lesseps married Mile. Antard De
Bragard, a young creole of English
extraction and considerable wealth.
He received honorable decorations
from nearly every government of Eu-
rope. Queen Victoria'S gift was his
nomination as an honorary knight
grand commander of the Order Of the
Star of India. The freedom of the
city of London was also presented to
him. In 1873 he was chosen a free
member of the French academy. He
published a history of the canal in
1875. In 1881 he was elected presi-
dent of the French Geographical So
ciety. The English government en-
deavOred to secure his services in cut
ting a second canal, but the negOtia-
tons fell through owing to opposition
in the house of commons and the sub
sequent absorption by English capt.
talists of a controlling interest in the
existing canal.
Turning his attention to the new
world M. De Lesseps undertook the
construction of a canal across the
isthmus of Panama. The original
capital of the company, 600,00O,0O0
francs, was exhausted, when the sub
scribers refused to advance more
money and the enterprise was aban-
doned. De Lessep's private fortune
was also absorbed in the undertaking
and he was left comparatively poor.
He continued his efforts to procure
means with which to prosecute the
work, but capital was timid and up to
this time he had been unable to pro
cure the necessary assistance.