The Washington herald., 1910-11-17
TO-DAY IN HISTORY.
Suez Canal Opened-November II.

To-day is the anniversary OF the open
ing OF the Suez Canal in 1863. In those
days this ship canal was considered a won
derful undertaking. and it cost an enor-
nous amount of money TO complete. but
much OF the 500, 100000 was spent in
brides and excessive discounts. IL also
cost the lives OF thousands Of human be-
ings in its digging, The Egyptian peas
antry, or fellaheen. were obliged by the
Khedive, to do the work without re-
Enumeration. Every three months ., 900
men were drafted into the canal service.
None Of the modern improvements for the
removal OF bodies OF dirt were known in
1863. and the few that could have been
used 70 advantage We're not so used. and
instead of the high power shovels now
used at Panama. the poor Egyptians were
compelled 10 dig with their bare hands
and carry the dirt m palm-leaf baskets TO
The dumping ground.
The great festival that was held to-day
forty-one years ago in Cairo and along
the canal was the high tide OF extrava-
CANT splendor OF the reign OF Ismail. The
celebration Of the event cost just one
fourth Of the amount of money required
in the building OF the canal.
AAlltuAA TIC MGLEl u Ailt MCQlAFIId-
mean and Red seas had met in the Suez
Canal several months previous, on No
Vember IT forty-efght ships conveyed the
Khedive and his distinguished guests
through the canal
The Empress OF the French. the IN
fortunate Eugene, as the representative
OF Napoleon III, and sponsor for the
proud de Lesseps. was the chief guest.
The Emperor and Empress OF Austria,
the Prince and Princess OF Wales, and a
score OF lesser royalties from continental
Europe, with their complement OF am
bassadOrs, statesmen, and celebrities,
made up the party
Cairo was all but rebuilt In the prepa-
ration for the celebrations. The marvels
OF the old myths OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
and Abkar were materialized. Nothing
was too expensive for Isman He had
been the guest Of the Empress OF the
French at the opera IN Paris. 1t oc-
Cured 10 him that he must return the
courtesy. Music is stranger within the
gates of Islam, and there was no opera
In Cairo. The splendid spendthrift or
dered the erection OF an opera house and
decreed the engagement OF the best COM
pany of singers to be found IN Europe
He employed the great composer, Verdi
TO write an opera especially for the occa-
sion. using an Egyptian theme. The re-
suit was the first production OF Aida
the most magnificent night OF opera IN
ths annals of music.
Cairo was turned into fairyland and
money seemed 10 grow on the trees. The
guests of the Khedive were entertained
In palaces built for their use, and they
were given everything tho Imagination
OF an Oriental prince with a Partisan
training could suggest. And ali this was
TO celebrate the opening OF a canal which
was constructed by seooping up sand with
human hands.
The Suez Canal was not new in history
Thirty-hve centuries before Seti I, father
Of Rameses II, had cut a canal through
the Isthmus OF Suez. connecting the Med
iterranean and the Rer seas. But the ma
ton decayed and the desert sands filled
up the canal. Eight centuries later the
Egyptian Neoh9 attempted 10 restore the