The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-20

/ was made brighter By tho light ot cleo
tricity. Wo had one blazing globe at
our inRstliead, fed by u dynamo on
deck. and another at our prov. The
latter threw It's rhys this way and that
acfops tho channel TN front of the
steamer. turning the waters to an
opnlescent blue reminding ono OF tic
Blue Grotto OF Capri We passed inhny
ships. IN the distance they appeared
only AZ two blazing eyes shown by tho
reflectors which all vessels are re-
quired to keep lighted az they pass
through. AS the Ships came nearer
they .rose phost-likc up from the
wnter. the ,nasscs>of bulls and rigging
with tho fiery eyes masking ono think
Of demons about to attack him
Tho trip through the canal Is slow.
The sliips arc allowed to go only five
or Six niles an hour. nn1 now aud
then they have to tie up to posts which
have been set into tho banks Of the
canal to allow other steamers to pass
These posts are to be seen everywhere
along both side OF the waterway from
Port Said 10 Sucz. In most plAccs they
are about 100 feet apart. and are 50
arranged that SHIPS can be made
STATIONARY az others go by.
Parts OF tho haiilss arc walled with
stones to prevent the sand falling In
and filling IN the canal but notwlth-
standing this the dredges have to BIO
kept ut work all tho year around. Not
far from Port said saw great pumps
operated by steam sucking the sand
from tile bottom OF tho channel, and
carrying 1t through pipes far out over
tile desert. am told that tile process
OF cleaning and deepening the water
way Is always going on,
l'he improvements. nj Sucn.
The suez canal OF 1907 lis far differ
ent from that Which was opened In
1868 As originally planned the chan
mel was less rlIan twenty-five feet deep
aud so constructed that It could not
have accommodated the shipping which
goes through to-day. 1t is now about
thirty feet deep, and there arc improve
nents under way TO make It's depth
thirty-five feet. Since tho beginning
of last year ships with NJ draft of
twcnty-segei feet have been allowed
to pass through. and the day VIII como
when ships of thirty thrce and thirty
four feet draft will BIO admitted. Tho
canal has been widened go that Its
average width ut the surface is about
900 feet, and the curves In it have been
rounded orr 20 as to shorten the time
OF trausit and enable ships to pass the
more easily. Within the past year or
so more than e2ooo. 900 tons OF earth.
mud and sand have been taken out OF
IL, ard the shipping facilities have
been greatly improved both at Port
Tewfik and Mt Port Said.
Here at the southern end Of the canal
they are now dredging out basins
which are intended to accommodate
the golfers and tank steamers carry
ing coal Oil. aud Mt Port Said the coal
Ing arrangements have been 80 inn
proved that tho largest steamers can
load thousands of tons or coal in Il very
Few hours.
WIN New Canal be built:
These improvements have been made
on account OF the crowded condition of
tile canal and the Imperative necessity
of deepening it in order 10 accoihfno.
date the big steamers now building. As
1t IL. 1t Is a question whether thirty
five feet VIII long he deep enough for
ships grow bigger dnd bigger and
their draft deeper and deeper from
year tn year. There has been a de-
mand for Il second canal on account