, 1935-09-15
SUEz CANALS
BLOCKADE TO
give TROUBLE
Britain Is Responsible
For Protection Of
Gateway But Pact
Keeps II Open

N&~
WASHINGTON. Sept i4-Once
more the Suex canal leaps to the
forefront of the news. This short
route to northeastern Africa and
india not only Is Great Britain's
life line" but IL Is the short cut
for France and italy to their Afri-
can colonies.
To-day. the Suez canal Is Of prime
importance IN the threatened Tta1-
tan-Ethiopian conflict.
Interests In Great Britain have
urged closing the canal TO Italian
vessels because OF Italy's troop
movement toward Ethiopia and the
subsequent threat to Egypt. English
p~rotectorate. and the Anglo-Sudan.
Closing Unlikely
But the closing of the canal Is -ot
likely to occur. although the Egyp-
fian government now has such ac-
tor under Amusement. The Suez
Is one Of the canals that have been
internationalized. AS far back as
October 20. 1883. at a canal con-
vention, eight powers signed a
treaty insuring the neutrality OF
the canal. Great Britain. however.
is responsible for the protection OF
the canal. This power has been
delegated 70 Britain by the CON-
pany and BY Egypt, which operates
the canal by means OF a mandstaire
concession. The canal Is supposed
to retrocede to Egypt In 1868.
While the British government
-@ys seven Sixteenths. or as per
cent Of the company stock. the ad-
ministration Is largely French.
The British have only 10 of the
80 directors. The French have FL
falthouCh the French government,
itself. does not W. any shares IN
the company, and the Dutch have
enc.
Recently II was SUGGESTED In Eng
land that the British government
sell its stock to British investors.
who then could vote as per cent
Of the total stock en- bloc and OBJ
tain control Of the COMPANY.
The board. DESPITE It's divided
nationality. has worked in harmony
probably because the British and
the French were on the same side
IN the world War.
British Are Profiting
The British government. al
though II frowns on italian troops
movements through the canal, has
profited by them. At $3.50 per man.
II Duce has been pouring men
through the canal as fast as his
transports could take them. During
the last three months q total OF
&10.O00,cO0 has gone to the Com
paigne Universelle du Canal MARI
time de Suez IN dues for italian
ships, men and freight that have
been shipped through the canal.
This includes the passage OF 5000
men rurnored 10 have been returned
to italy suffering from dysentery,
malaria and typhoid.
The idea of building a canal across
the Isthmus of Suez. from what Is
now Port said on the Mediter-
ranean TO Port Tewfik on tie Red
sea, originated as early as the eighth
century A. D, with Harun al-Rashid.
Canals Curious Beginning
In 1896. Prosper Enfantine or
garized a society, which he called
the Saint Simonist society. In
France. Pointed toward the regen-
Grafton Of the world. the society in
Guided the construction Of canals
across the Isthmus Of Panama ana
Of Suez, In its platform.
IN 1854 definite negotiations were
#4wwe AnmNrm &AW AAA A4HafAeW~ 81 49,
Suez canal by Ferdinand de Les
seps. n French promoter. He OBJ
tanned the necessary permission
from said Pasha, then viceroy OF
Egypt and q friend Of Lesseps', 70
form a company to construct the
waterway from sea to sea, without
locks.
The company finally was formed
a. 1858 after civil engineers had
made investigations and had pre-
scented their reports.
Most of the original capital stook,
% the extent Of 100000 pounds.
was purchased In France and the
Ottoman empire. Austria, Russia.
England and the United States
were not financially interested &C
that time. In 1875. however, the
British government purchased a
block Of l76.602 shares from the
khadive Of Egypt upon the advice
az Lord Derby and Benjamin Dis
raeli. then British prime minister.
fThe necessity for n short water
route to india became supremely
important at that time.) Thus the
British government became the
dominating force. although French
capital still has the largest invest
rnent.
Forced Labor at Beginning
Actual construction began on
April 20. 1859. Forced native labor.
consisting of Egyptians furnished
Nv the Said Pasha and paid mostly
m food and shelter. were finally
dispensed with. due TO the influence
Of Nubar Pasha, Turkish foreign
minister. IN England also, strong
disapprovai OF forced labor had
been registered.
with Construction swinging along.
A direct route through the isthmus
had been adopted.
The total length OF the two
Bullah lakes, the Great and Small
bitter lakes and Lake Timsah was
IN miles. II was expected that no
excavation would be necessary
along this stretch. Actual construc-
ton resulted in the necessity OF
making greater or lesser excavations
along ali except eight miles Of the
l00-mile route.
Few Difficulties
NO serious obstacles were encoun-
tered except the high hills between
fhe Bullah lakes and Lake Timsan
and the cutting OF the rock at
8erapeum.
Unlike the Isthmus Of Panama,
the suez presented few difficulties