The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-10
THE UNIQUE SUEZ CANAL
1T HAS NEITHER LOCKS, GATES NOR
PUMPING ENGINES.
How the Famous Waterway Is MAN.
aged-The Signal System and the
Tolls That Must BE Paid.


no locks, gates, reservoirs or pumping en-
glnes-in short, 1t has nothing in common
with other canals except that it AFFORDS a
snort cut for vessels passing from one body
OF water to another 1t is an artificial strait
connecting the Mediterranean and Red seas.
ana because these two seas are on nearly
the same level the particular kind of con-
slruction or tbs Suez canal became possible.
M. Ferdinand dc Lesseps, the famous
French engineer who afterward undertook
the disastrous Panama enterprise, has the
credit OF having projected and successfully
completed the Suez canal. From 1S49 to
1914 he was planning the work. In the latter
year Mahomet Said Pasha became Viceroy
or Egypt and at once arranged with NJ. De
Lesseps for the formation of company and
the beginning of the work. But many pre-
liminaries were still necessary, and it was
not unsil 1860 that operations were actually
In progress From that time work went on
steadily for two years. Then, in 1862, the
Egyptian Viceroy visited England and while
there asked Sir John Hawkshaw, a we'll
known British engineer, to inspect the
canal and report, without reference to the
opinions of the French engineers, upon the
pfactlcablllty of its successful completion
and working. Sir John Hawkshaw made
various Criticisms and gave advice which
prosecution of the undertaking.
NAPOLEON Ill AND THE CANAL.
Said Pasha died before Sir Johns re-
port was made, and was succeeded by his
brother lsmail Pasha. The latter alarmed
at the large grants of land which had been
made to the canal company, and anxious to
be relieved from the burden of providing the
forced labor which Said Pasha had been
furnishing, refused to agree to the conces-
sions made by his brother. The subject was
referred to Napoleon III. Emperor of
the French, who undertook to help the
canal project. He awarded the sum of
GOO to be paid by the viceroy to the
company This money was at once applied
to the prosecution of the work, which was
completed in 1869.
The entire length of the canal is eighty
eight geographical or about one hundred
statute miles. OF these lightweight
geographical miles sixty-six are actual
canal, having been formed by cuttings
fourteen miles consist of dredging through
the various lakes which lay In the path Of
the work, and eight miles required no labor
at ALL since the natural depth was equal
to that of the canal. The depth was at first
twenty-sx feet, but the canal was widened
now vessels Of twenty-six feet draught can
pass through 1t easily, with something to
spare. The surface width is 325 feet for
most of the way, but in the deeper cuttings
this width decreases to 1856 feet. The lakes
which the canal traverses-Lalze MenZaleh
next to the Mediterranean; Lake Timsah.
about half way across, and the Great Bitter
lakes, near the Red Sea-were merely dry
expressions before the cutting of the canal
them into large inland lakes.
The ground In the isthmus along the ca
nal is generally very low, and the only rock
encountered was soft gypsum. In the lakes
a channel of sufficient depth and breadth to
admit traffic has been dredged out and the
surface Of the water extends on each side
The channel is marked by iron beacons $50
feet apart. At every five or six miles along
the canal there is siding. or passing place.
so that large vessels may moor for the
night, or stop to allow others to pass.
Everything along the entire length of the
canal is, controlled from the main office, in
a place locally known as Terreplein, a part
of the old town of Suez. No such name as
Terreplein appears on most maps of the
made land, the filled-up marshes and the
chains of islands which project into the
gulf nearly two miles from the main part
of the city and form the end of the canals
western band are known not by their off,
cial names. as Port Tewfk or Port Ibrahim,
but as Terreplein. A long, narrow embank-
ment connects Terreplein with Suez and
from the train which runs between the two
places beautiful views are obtained of the
lofty range of Attaka on the right; and on
the left, across the signal posts of the ca
nal. the sharp and jagged ridge of the Gebel
ell Reha.
1t is also possible to reach Terreplein
from SueZ by a steam launch, which starts
from the quay on the ancient Egyptian
canal at the head of the gulf. Sailboats
but the return trip, when one has almost al
ways to beat up against northerly wind,
often takes several hours. In going to
Terreplein by water. one has the advantage
of entering its best part at once, whereas
the trains terminal station is in the slums
of the little town. The tiled roofs of the
canal offices rising among an avenue Of
green trees, the red buoys which mark the
deepwater channel. the yellow desert be-
yond and the clear blue of the sky make
vivid picture in the brilliant sunshine. Near
the landing steps stands a large pedestal
bearing a bronze bust of Lieutenant Wag-
born, the first protector of the overland
route to India. This monument has been
put UP by the canal company.
THE SIGNAL SYSTEM
In the large Office at Terreplein there is
almost perfect silence, though the employees
are working steadily, each at his especial
task. Sometimes there are as many as
forty ships in the canal at one time, and
the slightest mistake in signaling between
the stations might lead to serious conse-
quences. All these vessels, whether they
are in the narrowest cutting. whether they
are moving along at full steam through the
twenty-three miles of deep water in the
Great Bitter lakes, or whether they are
leaving the canal at Port Said, are under
the direction of the man who sits at his
desk in the Office at Terreplein.
The method of working the canal is in
genious, yet comparatively simple. At one
side of the room against the wall is mar
row shelf, along which runs a groove. At
intervals this groove has deep recesses,
which, in two places are much larger than
they are elsewhere. The groove represents
he
two large ones being the Great Bitter lakes
and Lake Tfmsah. When a vessel has been
signaled and is about to enter the canal
at the Suez end, for eXample-a to- boat or
model about four inches long is chosen to
els stands ready near the model canal, and
each one is furnished with a flag to denote
Its nationality. The English flag is natu-
rally the predominatng ensign, though all
steamer approaches and her name becomes
known 1t is written on slip of paper and
placed on the toy boat. The number of
ships actually in the canal can thus be seen
at a glance, and also the exact positions in
which they are situated, for, as the tele-
graphic signals give notice of each vessels
progress, her toy representative is moved
along, placed in a siding or shown crossing
one of the lakes.
Signals are sent from this office to the
siding at which each ship must stop and
wait TO let another pass it. The official on
duty moves the models according 10 his dis
patches, and when two vessels going in op-
siding he warns their pilots by means of
the signal balls and flags at each station,
which he controls from the office, and in
oicates which of the two is TO give way to
the other.
The arrangement. except in the case of
Cinnnl accidents works nArfanflW