The Coolidge examiner., 1937-07-08
Popular Idea That British Control
Canal Doesn't Agree With Facts

ground. their imposing fanks mot
tied by shadows into a chocolate
and coffee marbling, lie the barren
hills of Africa.
In the middle distance gray oil
tanks seem almost phosphorescent
in spite of the brightness of the
whole scene, and tall chimneys of
the Port Ibrahim refneries rise like
full-leaded exclamation points.
Suez has little to do with the
canal. 1t lies up a creek in which
the dhows from the Arabian coast
are stranded at low tide and is
connected with Port Tewfik by a
causeway.
Port Tewfik. like Port Said, is
by-product of the canal. When there
was need for land on which to build,
the dredges dumped it there.
Along the canal front runs the
Avenue Helene, shady bund with
a comradely cafe or two Nurse
maids occupy shaded benches and
one healthy little miss of three or
four, who had fallen quite in love
with Lieutenant Waghorn, stood
gazing at his monument for minutes
together.
Port Tewfik. gateway TO the teem-
ing East. is provincial. On the
canal and hence busy place, it is
not port at all Ships wait in the
Gulf Of Suez until the pilot takes
them in hand. Ships coming down
the canal don't stop at Port Tewfk.
They only drop the pilot and signal
full speed ahead"
Port Ibrahim is principally a
haven for tankers which come there
to spew up the viscous crude oil or
pump forth a silver stream Of re-
fined petroleum.
To the east Of Suez there was
formerly large camping ground
for Mecca-bound caravans made up
Of swarthy Egyptians. slender Syri-
ans. serious-faced Turks. and Mos
lens from Turkistan clad in wadded
gowns made of bright-colored cloth
like upholstery cretonnes, with their
women hiding behind horsehair
wells.
Presents Desolate Scene.
Now this vast expanse is deserted.
A single stalking camel or a Bed
ouin on horseback would make il a
desolate picture. Lacking the liv-
ing element. it is only empty.
The first station north Of Suez is
Shallufa. Near the small wharf are
some brightly painted buoys. At the
foot of the signal mast are the can
vas balls, cylinders. and cones used
to signal to passing ships. Back Of
the homes and Office is a water
tank served by a windmill and pro-
vided with filter. A few trees
give sparse shade. That is all.
Along the northern half Of the
canal the railway runs just behind
these canal stations and the station
master can keep in touch with the
world on land as well as the world
of ships. But Shallufa is a lonely
spot The visitor is greeted like a
prodigal son.
Some ships have strict mail
schedule to keep. Others are un-
kempt tramps whose engines need
no slowing down to keep them with
in the proper speed. Winds sweep
across the desert with tremendous
force, although the banks of the
canal, behind which a steamer looks
like a procession of masts, protect
all but the largest ships. Dredges,
with barges alongside, are always
shifting their position.
No One Shown Favors.
The station master knows no IA
vorites. 1t may cause the captain
of a great cruise ship some chatting
at table if he has to tie up and
let smudgy tramp steam slowly
by. But he takes his orders from
those who know the canal and would
lose their jobs if they didn't. AS
the tide ebbs and flows between the
Red sea and the equalizing tanks
of the Bitter lakes, the ship facing
the current, be it ragged tramp or
well-groomed merchant prince, ties
up.
At Shallufa from the upper deck
Of any decently large steamer one
can trace the course Of the ancient
canal. Making the moderate de-
preston more conspicuous are hair
cloth tents of the Beduoins, who
plant grain and vegetables in its
concavity. The station master of
Shallufa uses a section of the an
cient canal as a private garden.
When, in 1887. it was decided to
use the canal day and night there
arose the question of whether the
canal or the ships should be lighted.
The latter was decided upon. A
fine experience is to lie fiat on the
bow above the headlight while its
silver beams advance into the mys-
terry of Asia on the one side and
Africa on the other. Then another
Polyhemus eye far down the canal
turns its lidless stare upon one and
comes silently on.