material from the ,google ,books        
project47           ,,the ,,isthmus ,,of
 ,,suez ,,question4                     
,,the                                   
,,isthmus ,,of ,,suez                   
,,question4                             
,,by                         ,m4        
,,ferdinand ,,de ,,lesseps1             
,,minister ,,plenipotentiary4           
8,,aperire ,,terram ,,gentibus40        
,,london3                   ,,longman1  
,,brown1 ,,green1 ,,and ,,longmans4     
,,paris3                                
,,galignani ,,and ,,co4                 
#ahee4     ,,contents4                  
,,page      ,,the ,,question ,,submitted
                                    #g  
,,appendix4        ,,no4         ,i4 ,m4
 ,,de ,,lesseps' ,,memorial ,,to ,,the  
,,viceroy             #ah        ,,ii4  
,,firman ,,of ,,concession              
#bh       ,,iii4 ,m4 ,,de ,,lesseps'    
,,instructions ,,to ,,the ,,engineers   
#eb        ,,iv4 ,,precursory ,,scheme  
#eh         ,v4 ,,letter ,,from ,,the   

,,grand ,,vizier ,,to ,,the ,,viceroy   
#agj        ,,vi4 ,m4 ,,de ,,lesseps'   
,,report                                
#agd       ,,vii4 ,,opinion ,,of ,,mr4  
,,anderson                              
#ahb      ,,viii4 ,,opinion ,,of        
,,captain ,,vetch                       
#bjd        ,,ix4 ,,article ,,from ,,the
 ,,moniteur                         #bab
     ,explanation of the ,french        
,monies1 ,weights1 and ,measures used in
 the following pages4        #a ,franc  
about #i d4 or1 #be fr4  #a4     #ha    
,livres  #hj francs4      #a ,quintal   
about #bbj lbs4      #a ,metre  #ci     
inches nearly4      #a ,kilometre  about
 #ajic yards1 or nearly #e furlongs4    
#a ,hectare  #b acres1 #dgab1 or nearly 
#b acres4      #a ,litre about #a pint4 
,the figures following the denomination 
are decimal parts2 thus3 #g fr4 #be1 #f 
met4 #ej represent respectively #g      
francs1 #f metres4     ,,the ,,isthmus  
,,of ,,suez ,,question  ,,submitted ,,to
 ,,the ,,public ,,opinion ,,of          

,,england4  8,aperire terram gentibus40 
,in the month of ,october1 #ahed1 ,i    
left ,europe for ,egypt1 in consequence 
of an invitation ,i had received from   
the new ,viceroy1 ,mohammed ,sad1 who   
for twenty years has honoured me with   
his friendship4 ,i had no mission from  
my ,government4 ,it was in the course of
 a journey across the ,libyan desert    
from ,alexandria to ,cairo which ,i made
 in company with the ,prince1 that the  
question of cutting through the ,isthmus
 of ,suez1 was for the first time mooted
 between us4 ,he requested me to draw up
 a memorial on the subject1 7,appendix1 
,no4 #a7 and1 as my ideas met with his  
approbation1 he issued to the ,consuls  
,general of foreign powers a firman     
7,appendix1 ,no4 #b71 destined to       
receive the sanction of the ,sultan1    
granting to a company composed of the   
capitalists of all nations without      
distinction1 the right to construct a   
canal between the two ,seas4 ,mr4       
,bruce1 the agent of the ,british       

,government1 was the first of the       
,consuls ,general who was informed of   
the ,viceroy's project1 so that ,france 
and ,england received intimation of it  
at the same time4  ,,mm4 ,linant ,bey   
and ,mougel ,bey1 engineers1 who have   
been engaged1 the one for the last      
twenty1 the other for the last thirty   
years1 in the construction of important 
hydraulic works in ,egypt1 were         
appointed by the ,viceroy to accompany  
me in an exploring expedition to the    
,isthmus of ,suez1 and to complete1 by a
 fresh examination of the ground1 the   
investigations they had already made4   
,this expedition was made during last   
,december and ,january2 after presenting
 an account of it to ,his ,highness     
,mohammed ,sad1 ,i gave instructions    
7,appendix1 ,no4 #c71 in his name1 to   
the engineers1 calculated to assist them
 in the preparation of their report4    
,in the month of ,march1 ,,mm4 ,linant  
,bey and ,mougel ,bey delivered the     
precursory scheme 7,appendix1 ,no4 #d71 

which quite convinced the ,viceroy of   
the possibility of executing this great 
undertaking in which he has taken the   
initiative4 ,they establish by          
calculations and data1 which may be     
verified by any one1 that a maritime    
canal direct from ,suez to ,pelusium    
thirty leagues long1 one hundred metres 
wide1 and eight metres deep1 extending  
sufficiently far into the two seas by   
means of jetties1 to obtain the depth   
necessary to enable ships to enter      
without difficulty1 having an inland    
port in the natural basin of ,lake      
,timsah1 and which should be completed  
in six years1 would cost1 at the most1  
#afj1jjj1jjj francs1 7#f1djj1jjj72 or1  
about half the amount expended on the   
,great ,northern railway from ,london to
 ,york1 or on that between ,paris and   
,lyons4  ,in a journey that ,i made to  
,constantinople1#a ,i ascertained that  
the ,sultan and his ministers were      
favourable to the project1 and ,i       
delivered to the ,viceroy a letter from 

the ,grand ,vizier1 in which he aptly   
characterized the opening of the        
,isthmus of ,suez by a maritime canal as
 a work of the most useful and          
interesting character4 7,appendix1 ,no4 
#e47 ,his ,highness immediately         
transmitted to the ,divan1 the          
documents1 maps1 and plans necessary for
 understanding the question of          
construction1 and which were required   
for obtaining the sanction of the       
,sovereign4  ,i was then commissioned to
 return to ,europe for the purpose of   
calling public attention to the subject 
and to take measures for organizing the 
undertaking1 on a cosmopolitan basis in 
accordance with the principles which    
have from the commencement guided the   
projectors4  ,prince ,mohammed ,sad has 
declared in his instructions 7,appendix1
 ,no4 #f71 that the labours of his      
engineers1 who at this moment are       
engaged in preparing their definitive   
scheme1 shall be submitted to the       
judgment of engineers1 chosen from      

,england1 from ,france1 from ,holland1  
from ,germany1 and from ,italy2 and that
 the organization of the ,universal     
,company entrusted with the construction
 of the ,canal shall be based upon the  
scientific decision of ,europe4  ,until 
then no call will be made on the        
shareholders1 and1 the administration of
 the ,company being in the hands of     
capitalists and other persons of all    
nations1 in proportion to the relative  
commercial importance of their country1 
they will not support the undertaking   
unless they are convinced that it will  
be to their interest to do so4  ,as     
,england is evidently interested more   
than any other power in the construction
 of a canal through the ,isthmus of     
,suez1 my first step has been to come to
 ,london1 both in order to ascertain the
 state of public opinion in ,england on 
this question1 and also to give to all  
who desire it such information as will  
enable them fully to appreciate the     
moral and material aspects of the       

undertaking4  ,i have already remarked  
with satisfaction that1 in general1 men 
of intelligence with whom ,i have had   
the honour of conversing on the subject1
 do not admit that an event which would 
advance the interests of the whole      
world1 could possibly do injury to the  
power or commerce of ,england4 ,they    
frankly discard all idea of a prejudice 
against the project2 they assert on the 
contrary1 that if feasible their country
 cannot but gain by it1 and that it     
would be a source of regret if the idea 
were entertained in ,france that what   
would be beneficial to other countries  
should not be of equal benefit to       
,england4  ,objections1 however1 which  
to my mind1 ,i am proud to acknowledge1 
do honour to the candour of ,english    
politicians1 have been made1 in         
perfectly good faith1 and without any   
feeling of distrust towards a friendly  
nation1 the alliance with which1        
cemented by the blood of their brave    
armies1 has been recently sanctioned by 

the unanimous demonstration of the      
,english people1 as it will shortly be  
by the people of ,france4  ,i shall     
reproduce these objections1 and reply to
 them in very few words4  ,i begin by   
setting aside all those which relate to 
the supposed impossibility of execution1
 and to the idea that the canal can only
 be constructed at an expenditure out of
 proportion to the advantages reasonably
 to be expected4  ,if the canal should  
be found to be physically impossible1 of
 course the scheme will not be          
entertained1 and if ,european science   
should not make it clear that the       
advantages to be derived are            
commensurate with the expenses to be    
incurred1 capitalists will not come     
forward4  ,the report of the engineers  
replies triumphantly to other objections
 respecting the sands of the desert1 the
 alluvial deposits at ,pelusium and     
,suez1 and the navigation of the ,red   
,sea4  ,it has been affirmed that the   
project of a canal might retard the     

construction of a railway from          
,alexandria to ,suez1 which the policy  
of ,england has always considered       
essential to her ,indian interests4     
,far from being retarded by the canal   
project1 the railway will1 on the       
contrary1 be indebted to this very      
design1 for its speedy completion2 for  
it can only obtain sufficient returns   
from the activity occasioned by a       
considerable maritime commerce across   
the ,isthmus of ,suez4 ,the ,egyptian   
,government1 which has already          
completed1 at its own expense1 the first
 two sections of the railway1 viz41 from
 ,alexandria to the ,nile1 and from the 
,nile to ,cairo1 takes this view of the 
question1 and is at the same time       
desirous of giving satisfaction to      
,england1 whose main object is to secure
 for her despatches and travellers the  
most direct and speedy route4 ,the      
,viceroy1 being thus persuaded1 that of 
the two undertakings1 the railway and   
the canal1 each forms the complement of 

the other1 has just decided on the      
completion of the third section1 from   
,cairo to ,suez4 ,he has given the order
 for the rails to an ,english house1 and
 engineers are at this moment engaged in
 levelling and in the superintendence of
 the earth-works4  ,it has also been    
said that if a considerable number of   
,european workmen1 or agricultural      
labourers1 were taken to the ,isthmus of
 ,suez1 there would be some fear of     
their forming a colony of natives of one
 single country--of ,france for         
instance--which might have a prejudicial
 effect on the policy of ,england4 ,in  
the first place1 there is no motive for 
a universal company to employ1 for a    
special political object1 workmen of any
 one country in preference to those of  
any other4 ,again1 it is not necessary  
to demonstrate that a company of        
capitalists will attend to their own    
interests1 and they will certainly have 
an incontestable advantage in employing 
,egyptians only1 as workmen and         

agricultural labourers4 ,the fellah of  
,egypt has alone constructed1 under the 
direction of skilful and experienced    
engineers and foremen1 all the extensive
 works undertaken in that country1 and  
no nation can more easily1 or on more   
favourable terms1 furnish disciplined   
armies1 of robust1 active1 and          
intelligent workmen1 equally fit for the
 construction of canals1 for hydraulic  
and for agricultural operations4#b  ,but
 what is of greater moment1 and indeed  
alone deserves the consideration of a   
people who have the fortunate custom of 
interesting themselves in their         
political affairs1 is the apprehension  
conscientiously entertained by          
statesmen1 whose right and whose duty it
 is to ask themselves and maturely to   
consider3--  #a4 ,whether shortening the
 distance by #cjjj leagues for all the  
countries of ,northern ,europe1 and by  
#cdjj leagues on an average for the     
ports of the ,mediterranean1 including  
,malta1 may not in future1 in case of   

war1 menace the safety of the ,british  
possessions in ,india4  #b4 ,whether the
 commercial and maritime relations of   
,great ,britain will not be             
disadvantageously affected by the       
opening of a new route1 which1 while    
shortening the distance for her own     
navigation1 will at the same time       
facilitate and increase the navigation  
of all other nations towards the extreme
 ,east4  ,the following passage from a  
recent publication replies to these     
objections3--  8,the power in possession
 of ,aden opens and shuts at its will   
the ,red ,sea1 and if it is true that   
the influence of nations and governments
 chiefly depends on the good they can do
 to their friends and the harm they can 
do to their enemies1 that revolution    
would be of no slight advantage to      
,england which would lead the principal 
current of the world's commerce under   
the guns of her ships and the batteries 
of her fortresses4 ,besides1 is it from 
the naval armaments of the              

,mediterranean that ,england has most   
reason to fear an invasion of ,india8   
,it requires no more than ordinary      
foresight to perceive1 that if her      
,indian possessions were ever seriously 
threatened1 it could only be from       
,russia by land1 and from ,north        
,america by sea4 ,in either case1 the   
safety of her possessions would depend  
on the shortening of her line of        
operations4  8,india is not the only    
,british possession to which the route  
will be abridged by the passage vi      
,suez4 ,australia will profit no less by
 the change2 and it will be all the more
 necessary to facilitate the defence of 
that country1 as it will become1 if the 
cutting through of the ,isthmus of      
,panama be effected1 more accessible to 
the ships of war of the ,united ,states4
  8,we may conclude from these          
observations1 that there would be small 
risk of the opening of the ,isthmus of  
,suez weakening the military power of   
,great ,britain4 ,her commercial power  

could only be compromised by it1 if it  
were possible for the multiplicity of   
her transactions with the ,east ,indies 
to be decreased by shortening the       
intervening distance by #cjjj leagues1  
or if it were possible for the producers
 and sellers of the commodities of the  
extreme ,east to lose by the consumption
 of them in ,europe being doubled4  8,if
 ,england must gain by the opening of   
the ,isthmus an increase of military and
 commercial power1 the genius of        
calculation within her will soon triumph
 over an ill-considered opposition4 ,she
 will not sacrifice the positive        
elevation1 the basis of which is        
enlarged by the developement of what    
surrounds it1 to that relative elevation
 which is satisfied with the degradation
 of others1 and she will not give any   
one the right to attribute to her1 with 
regard to all the nations bordering on  
the ,mediterranean1 the language lately 
addressed by the ,emperor ,nicholas to  
the ,english ,minister on the subject of

 ,greece1 and of the ,east4 ,such a     
policy she leaves to its fitting home4  
,she does more1 she opposes it by force 
of arms4 ,convinced that her strength   
lies in her power of expansion1 and in  
her commercial capabilities1 she        
endeavours by the prosperity of her     
neighbours to enlarge the basis of her  
own1 and for this reason it is that she 
animates with her co-operation so many  
enterprises which enrich the ,continent2
 no undertaking that she has ever       
assisted will prove more productive of  
beneficial results to herself than the  
operations at the ,isthmus of ,suez40   
,to the preceding quotation1 which is   
conclusive1 ,i add some figures which   
also have their value4  ,the            
,mediterranean ports will profit1 it is 
true1 by the opening of the ,isthmus of 
,suez1 but ,england with the #e1jjj1jjj 
tons employed in her commerce--a tonnage
 greater than that of all the navies of 
,europe1 including ,france1             
united--cannot fail to profit in a much 

greater degree by the increase of       
relations which must necessarily result 
from the shortening of the distance     
between the points of traffic2 to this  
opening moreover she will be indebted   
for the inestimable advantage of finding
 herself in closer connection with her  
colonies1 than another nation whose     
competition might otherwise be really   
formidable in the eyes of the upholders 
of an exclusive system4  ,but on the    
contrary1 ,england1 adopting the policy 
of commercial freedom1 has been seen to 
favour the attempts which have been made
 to cut through the ,american ,isthmus1 
although1 if successful1 it would bring 
the ,united ,states nearer the ,british 
possessions in ,india and still nearer  
to ,australia4 ,she is not1 however1    
ignorant of the fact that the maritime  
commerce of the ,united ,states1 which  
twenty years ago employed only          
#a1jjj1jjj tons1 now1 in #ahed1 requires
 no less than #e1djj1jjj1 and that this 
vast tonnage1 already larger than her   

own1 is constantly increasing4 ,but     
,england on her part does not remain at 
a stand-still1 and she has done well in 
showing no fear of the contest4 ,the law
 of progress has been justified by      
official statistical documents4 ,the    
burthen of the ,english ships built in  
#ahdb was #acj1jjj tons2 in #ahdc1      
shipping to the amount of #bjc1jjj tons 
was built4 ,it is especially since the  
relations of the ,united ,states with   
the ,indian ,seas have been extended1   
that the commerce of ,great ,britain has
 in those very regions experienced a    
still farther developement4 ,thus1 the  
imports from the ,indian ,peninsula1    
which in #ahdi amounted to #i1bch1jjj1  
had in #ahec increased to #ac1faj1jjj4  
,those from ,china1 which in #ahdi were 
#f1bjj1jjj1 rose in #ahec1 to           
#h1cjj1jjj4 ,again1 the tonnage employed
 in the trade between ,great ,britain   
and her ,eastern possessions1 including 
the other countries in the ,indian      
,seas1 to and fro1 amounted in #ahdi to 

#ifg1jgf1 and in #ahec to #a1eie1ach    
tons4  ,it may perhaps not be           
superfluous to reply to those persons   
who still believe in the supposed       
monopoly which they think it advisable  
for ,england to retain in her commerce  
with the ,east2 we have just seen that  
there is in fact no such monopoly as far
 as the ,united ,states are concerned1  
and that ,england does not suffer from  
the want of it4 ,it is the same with    
respect to ,europe4 ,this state of      
things has a tendency to increase every 
day1 even with the existing means of    
communication by the ,cape of ,good     
,hope and the imperfect transit through 
,egypt4 ,marseilles1 ,bordeaux1 ,havre1 
,genoa1 ,trieste1 ,amsterdam1           
,rotterdam1 and ,hamburg1 all despatch  
vessels direct to the ,indies4          
,marseilles and ,trieste now receive1 vi
 ,egypt1 cases of indigo from ,india and
 bales of silk goods from ,china4       
,powerful companies1 in anticipation of 
peace1 are at this moment engaged in    

building ships expressly for trading to 
the ,east1 or else in devoting to that  
purpose the steamers and sailing vessels
 now used as transports in the ,black   
,sea4  ,other objections have been made1
 and as they have been seriously brought
 forward1 ,i cannot allow them to pass  
without remark4 ,some very modest       
,englishmen have compared their country 
to ,venice1 and have contended1 that if 
,venice lost her power by the discovery 
of the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 ,england   
would see hers decline by a return to   
the shortest route4 ,in the first place1
 the shortest route is a geographical   
fact which no one can get rid of1 and1  
from the moment that it is ascertained  
that no material obstacle prevents the  
opening of this direct line1 it will not
 be for any ,government1 much less for  
the one which has inaugurated the era of
 commercial freedom1 to oppose the      
realization of a work which will satisfy
 the interests of all4 ,then1 ,great    
,britain in the nineteenth century      

cannot be compared to ,venice in the    
fifteenth3 the latter1 in consequence of
 her defeats in #abia and #abih1 had    
been obliged to cede the supremacy to   
,genoa1 and1 after having still shone in
 the first rank when she put herself at 
the head of the league against ,charles 
,,viii4 7#adie71 finally lost her       
preponderance when the ,portuguese      
destroyed her fleets in the ,red ,sea1  
and the ,emperor1 the ,pope and the     
kings of ,france and ,aragon formed the 
league of ,cambray against her 7#aejh74 
,it would be useless to prove by        
historical evidence that the decline of 
the ,queen of the ,adriatic was due to  
other causes than the discovery of the  
,cape 7#adig71 by which she might have  
profited as well as the ,portuguese1 if 
she had had the same elements of        
strength and vitality4 ,trieste1 which  
has succeeded to her commercial         
prosperity1 and even surpassed it1 has  
had no need of the re-establishment of  
the ancient route to ,india4 ,if        

,trieste participates largely1 as is to 
be hoped1 in the advantages of the      
,isthmus ,company1 if her neighbour of  
the ,adriatic finds therein a new life1 
,great ,britain will lose nothing       
thereby4 ,has it ever been seen that a  
capital city1 brought into communication
 with a great market by a railroad1 has 
had to regret the shortening of the     
distance and the amelioration of its own
 relations1 because some secondary towns
 on the line were nearer to the market  
and participated in the common benefit8 
,marseilles1 ,trieste1 ,greece1 the     
ports of ,italy1 of ,spain and of       
,turkey1 are nearer to ,egypt than      
,london and ,liverpool4 ,well2 in the   
present state of the relations of       
,europe with ,alexandria1 ,england      
absorbs to herself alone half the value 
of the commerce between all other       
countries and ,egypt1 and her tonnage   
comprises two-thirds of the navigation  
to and fro under all flags4  ,i wrote   
the following from ,cairo1 ,december    

#crd1 #ahed1 to a friend of mine1 a     
member of the ,british ,parliament4     
8,some persons assert that the ,viceroy 
of ,egypt's project will meet with      
opposition in ,england4 ,i cannot       
believe it3 your statesmen are too      
enlightened for me to entertain such a  
supposition under present circumstances4
 ,what6 ,england herself transacts more 
than half the general commerce with     
,india and ,china2 she has an immense   
empire in ,asia2 she may reduce by      
one-third the charges on her commerce1  
and bring that ,eastern ,empire nearer  
by one-half2 and she would not allow it 
to be done4 ,wherefore8 ,to prevent the 
,mediterranean nations from taking      
advantage of their situation to increase
 their commerce in the ,eastern         
,seas1--she would deprive herself of the
 immense advantages which must accrue to
 her1 in material respects1 and in a    
political point of view1 from this new  
communication1 solely because others are
 more favourably situated than herself1 

as if geographical position was         
all-in-all1 and as if1 everything       
considered1 ,england had not more to    
gain by this work than all the nations  
together4 ,finally1 ,england1 it is     
said1 must dread the reduction in the   
number of vessels employed in ,indian   
commerce which would result from the    
diminution of more than one-third in the
 duration of the voyage4 ,and has not   
,england proved in her experience of    
railways1 by results which have         
surpassed the boldest anticipations1    
that the necessary consequence of       
shortening the distance and diminishing 
the duration of a journey1 is the       
infinite augmentation of intercourse and
 circulation4 ,one cannot understand why
 those who entertain this fear do not   
advise the ,english ,government to      
direct1 that the voyage to ,india now   
shall be vi ,cape ,horn1 for that would 
employ still more ships than the way by 
the ,cape of ,good ,hope and furnish    
better sailors4  8,if1 as is not        

unlikely1 the difficulties with which ,i
 am threatened should be brought        
forward1 public opinion1 so powerful in 
,england1 will soon do justice to       
interested opposition and superannuated 
objections40  ,her ,majesty's           
,government concluded with the ,united  
,states1 on the #aith of ,april1 #ahej1 
a treaty of neutrality for the projected
 canal through the ,american ,isthmus4  
,the cabinets of ,london and ,paris are 
now on such intimate terms as to make it
 a matter of no difficulty for them to  
agree upon a convention1 if it suited   
their political interests to do so1     
relative to the passage of the ,isthmus 
of ,suez1 assimilating it to that of the
 ,dardanelles4 ,the other powers would  
not fail to give in their adhesion to   
the convention1 which would be open to  
them4  ,in this manner commercial       
navigation would be guaranteed against  
the chances of war1 and military        
armaments could neither remain in nor   
pass through the ,isthmus without the   

permission of the ,sovereign of the     
country4  ,the question of the          
importance to the commercial interests  
of ,great ,britain of cutting through   
the ,isthmus of ,suez1 has been         
considered in the most favourable light 
by the principal men of science1        
engineers1 economists1 and public       
writers of ,england4 ,i shall quote     
hereafter the opinions of ,mr4          
,anderson1 the present director of the  
,peninsular and ,oriental ,company1 and 
of ,captain ,james ,vetch1 ,r4 ,e41 from
 their respective works4 7,appendix1    
,nos4 #h and #i47 ,the fact of the      
question having been frequently treated 
with favour by the press1 seems to show 
that it has already been accepted by the
 feeling of the country2 the remarkable 
extract from the 8,papers for the       
,people0 in the memorial of the         
engineers 7,appendix1 ,no4 #d7 will be  
read with interest4 ,the celebrated     
novelist1 ,charles ,dickens himself1 has
 not disdained to devote several        

eloquent pages to a very practical      
consideration of the project for        
constructing a canal through the        
,isthmus of ,suez4  ,it is to be        
remarked that the ,english authors who  
have written upon this question1 have1  
without exception1 advocated the direct 
line from ,suez to ,pelusium4 ,this view
 is taken by all the inhabitants of     
,egypt1 and ,i doubt if the indirect    
line1 complicated as it is by traversing
 the ,nile1 would have been adopted by  
two of my compatriots so distinguished  
as ,m4 ,baude and ,m4 ,paulin ,talabot1 
if they had themselves been on the spot 
before they gave their opinions4  ,the  
,moniteur ,universel of ,france1 in the 
,number for the #fth of ,july1 has      
proved the advantage of the direct track
 over the indirect one4 ,i refer my     
readers to that article 7,appendix1 ,no4
 #i74  ,it is incumbent on me to add1   
that1 although the two tracks may be    
entertained1 theoretically speaking1    
practically only one is now to be       

thought of2 for the ,viceroy of ,egypt1 
who consents to the cutting of the      
,isthmus1 has a perfect right to refuse 
to allow the whole of ,egypt to be cut  
through4 ,he has1 in his written        
instructions1 specially charged me to   
make known his declaration1 which is in 
the following terms3--  8,after having  
passed in review the numerous projects  
submitted to various ,governments or to 
the public for more than fifty years1 ,i
 grant perfect liberty for the          
application of those means that science 
shall recognise to be best to bring the 
,red ,sea and the ,mediterranean into   
communication at any point of the       
,isthmus1 eastward of the course of the 
,nile2 but ,i declare that ,i will not  
authorize the ,grand ,maritime ,suez    
,canal ,company to adopt any track which
 shall have its point of departure on   
the ,mediterranean coast1 to the west of
 the ,damietta branch1 and which shall  
traverse the course of the ,nile40  ,if 
it were necessary1 reference might be   

made to the ,east ,india ,company1 the  
merchants of ,australia1 of ,singapore1 
of ,madras1 of ,calcutta and of ,bombay1
 the commercial houses of the ,city1 the
 shipowners of ,london and ,liverpool1  
the manufacturers of ,manchester1 the   
proprietors of iron mines1 the          
manufacturers of machines1 the          
,peninsular and ,oriental ,steam        
,navigation ,company1 the directors of  
banks and of extensive industrial       
undertakings1 the ,chambers of          
,commerce1 the proprietors of           
coal-fields1 who in #ahed exported      
#a1cji1bea tons of coal1 of the value of
 #b1abg1aef1 an amount which1 immense as
 it already is1 will be still farther   
increased1 and to a considerable extent1
 by the opening of the ,isthmus of      
,suez4  ,i appeal to their interests1   
and leave the decision to their         
judgment4  ,lastly1 the objection has   
been made1 that the canal project would 
not be received with favour by the      
,turkish ,government2 but1 like every   

question in which the principle is just1
 the consequences are infallible2 and   
from whatever point of view we regard   
this question of the ,isthmus of ,suez1 
we see nothing but universal benefit    
arise from it4  ,as ,i have already     
remarked1 ,i met with no opposition at  
,constantinople on the part of the      
,porte4 ,turkey is aware that the ,canal
 of the two ,seas is destined to add to 
her power and prosperity1 by bringing   
,constantinople nearer by #dcjj leagues 
to the ,indian ,ocean1 and by           
facilitating the communication with the 
,holy ,places of ,arabia1 the source of 
the authority the ,sultan possesses over
 his ,mussulman population4  ,turkey can
 rise from her present languor only by  
borrowing capital and intelligence from 
,europe4 ,the prosperity of the ,east is
 intimately connected at the present day
 with the interests of civilization in  
general1 and the most effectual means of
 working its welfare1 in connection with
 that of humanity1 is to break down the 

barriers that still separate            
individuals1 races1 and nations4  ,war  
and commerce have civilized the world4  
,war will have played out its part with 
that last effort which is being made    
under our eyes4 ,the victories hereafter
 to be gained will be those of commerce 
only4 ,let us exert ourselves to open up
 for her a new route4 ,this object may  
be pursued and attained--in the words of
 a great writer--8,a travers les orages 
et les tnbres de la guerre40 7,guizot47 
,let us bring the populations of        
,polynesia1 of ,australia and ,china1 of
 the ,indies and of ,africa1 nearer to  
,europe2 let us make them participators 
in the blessings of civilization4  ,to  
accomplish this great undertaking1 we   
appeal to all religious and intelligent 
men1 for it is worthy of their sympathy 
and co-operation4  ,we invoke the       
support of all statesmen1 because in the
 establishment of new and easy means of 
communication between the two           
hemispheres all nations are interested4 

,lastly1 we will address ourselves to   
the capitalists1 when they have         
satisfied themselves of the pecuniary   
advantages to be derived from the       
undertaking4                            
,,ferd4 ,,de ,,lesseps4  ,london1 ,july1
 #ahee4     ,,appendix4  ,no4 ,i4       
,,memorial ,,addressed ,,to ,,his       
,,highness ,,mohammed ,,said4           
,,memorial ,,addressed ,,to ,,his       
,,highness ,,mohammed ,,said1 ,,viceroy 
,,of ,,egypt4                           
,the ,camp1 ,marea1 ,in the ,lybian     
,desert1                                
#aeth ,november1 #ahed4  ,the junction  
of the ,mediterranean and the ,red      
,seas1 by a navigable canal1 is an      
undertaking the utility of which has    
attracted the attention of all the great
 men who have reigned in1 or conquered1 
,egypt3 ,sesostris1 ,alexander the      
,great1 ,julius ,csar1 the ,arab        
,conqueror ,amrou1 ,napoleon ,i4 and    
,mehemet ,ali4  ,a canal1 communicating 
with the ,nile1 was in existence in     

ancient times2 first1 for a period of   
#ajj years1 down to about the middle of 
the ninth century before the ,hegira2   
secondly1 for a period of #dde years1   
from the reign of the first successors  
of ,alexander the ,great1 down to about 
the fourth century before the ,hegira2  
thirdly and lastly1 for a period of #acj
 years after the ,arabian conquest4     
,napoleon1 upon his arrival in ,egypt1  
immediately organized a commission of   
engineers to ascertain whether it would 
be possible to re-establish that ancient
 channel of navigation3 the question was
 resolved in the affirmative1 and when  
the learned ,m4 ,lepre delivered to him 
the report of the commission1 on the eve
 of his return to ,france1 he said3 8,it
 is an important affair1 it is not now  
in my power to accomplish it1 but the   
,turkish ,government will perhaps one   
day owe its preservation and its glory  
to the execution of this project40  ,the
 moment has now arrived to realize      
,napoleon's prediction4 ,the work of    

cutting through the ,isthmus of ,suez is
 certainly destined1 more than any      
other1 to contribute to the preservation
 of the ,ottoman ,empire1 and to        
demonstrate to those who have been wont 
to proclaim its decay and ruin1 that it 
still has a productive existence1 and   
that it is capable of adding a brilliant
 page to the history of the world's     
civilization4  ,why have the governments
 and the peoples of the ,west combined  
to uphold the ,sultan in the possession 
of ,constantinople1 and why has he who  
has thought fit to menace that position 
met with the armed opposition of        
,europe8 ,because the passage from the  
,mediterranean into the ,black ,sea is  
of so much importance1 that whatever    
,european ,power might become master of 
it would domineer over all the rest1 and
 destroy that balance which the whole   
world is interested in preserving4  ,do 
but establish at another point of the   
,ottoman ,empire a similar1 and a yet   
more important position2 do but make    

,egypt the highway of the commercial    
world by cutting through the ,isthmus of
 ,suez2 and thereby you will create in  
the ,east another immoveable seat of    
power2 for1 as far as the new passage is
 concerned1 the great powers of ,europe1
 from fear of seeing it one day seized  
upon by one amongst them1 will regard   
the necessity of guaranteeing its       
neutrality1 as a question of vital      
importance4  ,m4 ,lepre fifty years ago 
required #aj1jjj workmen1 four years'   
labour1 and from #cj to #dj1jjj1jjj     
francs for the construction of the ,suez
 ,canal1 but upon a plan which would now
 be insufficient for the demands of     
commerce and navigation2 and his idea   
was the possibility of a direct cutting 
through the ,isthmus towards the        
,mediterranean4  ,prior to the year     
#ahdj1 some skilful ,english ,engineers1
 who were employed in levelling         
operations in the ,isthmus1 had the     
honour of first ascertaining that no    
difference existed between the levels of

 low water in the ,mediterranean and in 
the ,gulf of ,arabia4  ,m4 ,paulin      
,talabot1 one of the three distinguished
 ,engineers chosen in #ahdg by a society
 for the investigation of the ,isthmus  
of ,suez1#c 7and who also had important 
operations in levelling executed by ,m4 
,bourdaloue17 had adopted the indirect  
route from ,alexandria to ,suez3        
availing himself of the barrage for the 
passage of the ,nile1 he estimated the  
entire cost at #acj1jjj1jjj francs for  
the ,canal1 and #bj1jjj1jjj for the port
 and roadstead of ,suez4  ,m4 ,linant   
,bey1 who for the last thirty years has 
ably conducted canal works in ,egypt1   
has made the question of the ,canal of  
the two ,seas the study of his life on  
the spot itself4 ,he was appointed in   
#ahec to direct fresh levelling         
operations1 and has proposed to cut     
through the ,isthmus in an almost direct
 line at its narrowest part1            
establishing a large inland port in the 
basin of ,lake ,timsah1 and making the  

channels from ,pelusium1 and from ,suez1
 into the ,mediterranean and the ,red   
,sea1 available for the largest vessels4
  ,the ,general of engineers1 ,gallice  
,bey1 on his part1 submitted to ,mehemet
 ,ali a proposal for a direct cutting   
across the ,isthmus4 ,m4 ,mougel ,bey1  
director of the ,nile barrage-works1 and
 chief engineer of bridges and highways1
 also submitted to ,mehemet ,ali the    
possibility and utility of cutting      
through the ,isthmus of ,suez2 and1 in  
#ahdj1 at the request of ,count         
,walewsky1 at that time an envoy in     
,egypt1 he was instructed to take       
preliminary measures which political    
events did not allow to be carried out4 
,a thorough examination will decide     
which of the lines is most suitable2    
and1 as the undertaking has been        
acknowledged to be practicable1 it only 
remains to make a choice4 ,whatever the 
operations that may be necessary1 and   
however difficult1 they will not        
intimidate modern art2 their success can

 be no matter of doubt at the present   
time3 it is a question of money1 which  
the spirit of enterprise and association
 will not fail to resolve1 provided the 
benefits resulting from it are in       
proportion to the outlay4  ,it is easy  
to demonstrate that the cost of the     
,canal of ,suez1 admitting the highest  
estimate1 is not out of proportion with 
the utility and the profits of this     
important work1 which would curtail by  
more than one-half the distance of      
,india from the principal countries of  
,europe and ,america4 ,this result is   
made obvious in the following ,table1   
drawn up by ,m4 ,cordier1 professor of  
,geology3--  ,,list ,,of ,,european     
,,and ,,american ,,ports4      ,distance
 to ,bombay in leagues3                 
,vi ,suez  ,vi the ,atlantic            
,difference4                            
,constantinople      #a4hjj             
#f4ajj            #d4cjj     ,malta     
#b4jfb           #e4hjj                 
#c4ggh     ,trieste             #b4cdj  

#e4ifj            #c4fbj     ,marseilles
          #b4cgd           #e4fej       
#c4bgf     ,cadiz               #b4bbd  
#e4bjj            #b4igf     ,lisbon    
#b4ejj           #e4cej                 
#b4hej     ,bordeaux            #b4hjj  
#e4fej            #b4hej     ,havre     
#b4hbd           #e4hjj                 
#b4igf     ,london              #c4ajj  
#e4iej            #b4hej     ,liverpool 
#c4jej           #e4ijj                 
#b4hej     ,amsterdam           #c4ajj  
#e4iej            #b4hej     ,st4       
,petersburgh     #c4gjj           #f4eej
            #b4hej     ,new ,york       
#c4gfa           #f4bjj                 
#b4dci     ,new ,orleans         #c4gbd 
#f4dej            #b4gbf  ,with such    
figures before us1 comment is useless2  
they show that all the nations of       
,europe1 and even the ,united ,states of
 ,america1 are alike interested in the  
opening of the canal of ,suez1 as well  
as in the rigorous and inviolable       
neutrality of that thoroughfare4        

,mohammed ,sad clearly comprehends that 
there is no undertaking within his      
power1 which1 from its immensity and the
 utility of its results1 could bear     
comparison with that which ,i propose to
 him4 ,what a splendid title to fame for
 him6 ,what an everlasting source of    
wealth for ,egypt6  ,the pilgrimage to  
,mecca henceforth assured and           
facilitated to all ,mussulmans2 an      
immense impulse given to steam          
navigation and to distant voyages2 the  
countries on the coasts of the ,red ,sea
 and the ,gulf of ,persia1 the eastern  
coast of ,africa1 ,india1 the kingdom of
 ,siam1 ,cochin ,china1 ,japan1 the vast
 empire of ,china1 with its more than   
#cjj1jjj1jjj of inhabitants1 the        
,philippine ,islands1 ,australia and    
that immense ,archipelago1 towards which
 the emigration from old ,europe is     
directed1 brought nearer by nearly #cjjj
 leagues to the ,mediterranean ,sea and 
the north of ,europe3 such are the      
sudden and immediate effects of cutting 

through the ,isthmus of ,suez4  ,it has 
been calculated that the ,european and  
,american navigation1 vi the ,cape of   
,good ,hope and vi ,cape ,horn1 may     
carry on a yearly traffic of #f1jjj1jjj 
tons1 and that on the half only of that 
tonnage the world's commerce would      
realize a benefit of #aej1jjj1jjj francs
 annually1 by sending the ships vi the  
,gulf of ,arabia4  ,there is no doubt   
that the canal of ,suez will occasion a 
considerable increase of tonnage2 but in
 reckoning only upon #c1jjj1jjj tons1   
there will yet be an annual produce of  
#cj1jjj1jjj francs by collecting dues of
 ten francs per ton1 which might be     
reduced in proportion to the increase of
 navigation4  ,after having indicated   
the financial advantages of the         
undertaking1 let us consider its general
 political advantages1 which we believe 
to be equally incontestable4            
,everything that results in contributing
 to the extension of the commerce1 of   
the industry1 and of the navigation of  

the world1 is especially advantageous to
 ,england1 a power which stands foremost
 amongst all others from the importance 
of its navy1 from the productions of its
 manufactories1 and from its commercial 
relations4  ,a deplorable prejudice1    
based upon the political antagonism     
which so long and so unhappily existed  
between ,france and ,england1 has alone 
accredited the opinion that the opening 
of the canal of ,suez1 so useful for the
 interests of civilization and of the   
common weal1 could damage those of      
,england4 ,the alliance of the two      
nations which rank highest in the scale 
of civilization1 an alliance which has  
already proved the possibility of       
solutions hitherto reckoned impossible  
by vulgar tradition1 will1 amongst its  
other numerous benefits1 allow us to    
investigate with impartiality this      
mighty question of the ,canal of ,suez1 
to form an exact estimate of its        
influence upon the prosperity of nations
 and to consider it heresy to believe1  

that an undertaking calculated to halve 
the distance between the ,western and   
,eastern hemispheres of the globe1      
should not be suitable for ,great       
,britain1 the mistress of ,gibraltar1   
,malta1 the ,ionian ,islands1 ,aden1    
important stations on the east coast of 
,africa1 ,india1 ,singapore1 and        
,australia4  ,england1 as well as       
,france1 and even more so1 must wish to 
see a cutting through that strip of land
 of thirty leagues1 which no one who    
pays attention to the subject of        
civilization and progress can behold    
upon the map1 without feeling the most  
ardent wish for the disappearance of    
that only obstacle that ,providence has 
left in the highway of the world's      
traffic4  ,the railway1 by itself1 is   
not sufficient2 it will never acquire   
any substantial importance1 and will    
only be assured of its revenues when it 
has become the auxiliary of the maritime
 ,canal of ,suez4 ,the completion of the
 railway1 so useful to travellers1 and  

so justly desired by ,england1 will then
 become a necessity1 and will no longer 
be a heavy charge upon the ,egyptian    
,government4  ,germany will also hail   
all the efforts for the construction of 
the ,canal across the ,isthmus4 ,it will
 be to her the complement to the free   
navigation of the ,danube4 ,prince      
,metternich1 who for more than twenty   
years has interested himself in the     
cutting of the ,canal of the two ,seas1 
and ,baron de ,bruck1 one of the        
promoters of the investigations made in 
#ahdg1 saw that in this question lay the
 aggrandizement of ,trieste and of      
,venice1 as well as the opening of      
important outlets for the produce of the
 ,imperial provinces1 and of the kingdom
 of ,hungary1 where the projected canal 
from the ,danube to ,kustendje1 on the  
,black ,sea1 in the line of the ancient 
trench or rampart of ,trajan1 will      
facilitate exportation4  ,russia will   
find in the opening of the ,canal of    
,suez a just satisfaction of that       

national aspiration towards the ,east   
which led her on one occasion to extend 
the limits of her vast ,empire to the   
confines of ,british ,india1 and1 on    
another1 to threaten the integrity of   
,turkey4 ,the mission of civilization   
devolving upon the ,czar over the       
numerous tribes of whom he is arbiter1  
may yet suffice the noblest ambition2   
the new outlets which will be           
pacifically thrown open to their        
activity and to their necessity of      
expansion1 will be more profitable to   
them than a policy of conquest and      
exclusive dominion which it is now no   
longer possible for any one nation to   
carry on triumphantly4  ,the ,united    
,states of ,america1 whose traffic with 
,indo-,china and ,australia has for many
 years immensely developed itself2      
,spain with the ,philippine ,islands2   
,holland with ,java1 ,sumatra and       
,borneo2 the towns formerly so          
flourishing on the coasts of ,italy2 the
 ports and islands of ,greece2 all the  

nations in short which have held or hold
 a high maritime and commercial         
position2 will hasten to take part in a 
work which will augment their wealth1 or
 create new sources of it1 and to the   
success of which ,i believe ,i can      
promise ,his ,highness ,mohammed ,sad   
the active and energetic co-operation of
 the enlightened men of all countries4  
7,signed7 ,,ferd4 ,,de ,,lesseps4       
,,appendix4  ,no4 ,,ii4  ,,firman ,,of  
,,concession4     ,,firman ,,of         
,,concession4   ,our friend ,mons4      
,ferdinand de ,lesseps1 having called   
our attention to the advantages which   
would result to ,egypt from the junction
 of the ,mediterranean and ,red ,seas1  
by a navigable passage for large        
vessels1 and having given us to         
understand the possibility of forming a 
company for this purpose composed of    
capitalists of all nations2 we have     
accepted the arrangements which he has  
submitted to us1 and by these presents  
grant him exclusive power for the       

establishment and direction of a        
,universal ,company1 for cutting through
 the ,isthmus of ,suez1 and the         
construction of a canal between the two 
,seas1 with authority to undertake or   
cause to be undertaken all the necessary
 works and erections1 on condition that 
the ,company shall previously indemnify 
all private persons in case of          
dispossession for the public benefit4   
,and all within the limits1 upon the    
conditions and under the                
responsibilities1 settled in the        
following ,articles4   ,,article ,i4    
,mons4 ,ferdinand de ,lesseps shall form
 a company1 the direction of which we   
confide to him1 under the name of the   
,,universal ,,suez ,,maritime ,,canal   
,,company1 for cutting through the      
,isthmus of ,suez1 the construction of a
 passage suitable for extensive         
navigation1 the foundation or           
appropriation of two sufficient         
entrances1 one from the ,mediterranean  
and the other from the ,red ,sea1 and   

the establishment of one or two ports4  
,,article ,,ii4  ,the ,director of the  
,company shall be always appointed by   
the ,egyptian ,government1 and selected1
 as far as practicable1 from the        
shareholders most interested in the     
undertaking4   ,,article ,,iii4  ,the   
term of the grant is ninety-nine years1 
commencing from the day of the opening  
of the ,canal of the two ,seas4         
,,article ,,iv4  ,the works shall be    
executed at the sole cost of the        
,company1 and all the necessary land not
 belonging to private persons shall be  
granted to it free of cost4 ,the        
fortifications which the ,government    
shall think proper to establish shall   
not be at the cost of the ,company4     
,,article ,v4  ,the ,egyptian           
,government shall receive from the      
,company annually fifteen per cent4 of  
the net profits shown by the balance    
sheet1 without prejudice to the interest
 and dividends accruing from the shares 
which the ,government reserves the right

 of taking upon its own account at their
 issue1 and without any guarantee on its
 part either for the execution of the   
works or for the operations of the      
,company2 the remainder of the net      
profits shall be divided as             
follows3--,seventy-five per cent4 to the
 benefit of the ,company1 ten per cent4 
to the benefit of the members           
instrumental to its foundation4         
,,article ,,vi4  ,the tariffs of dues   
for the passage of the ,canal of ,suez1 
to be agreed upon between the ,company  
and the ,viceroy of ,egypt1 and         
collected by the ,company's agents1     
shall be always equal for all nations2  
no particular advantage can ever be     
stipulated for the exclusive benefit of 
any one country4   ,,article ,,vii4  ,in
 case the ,company should consider it   
necessary to connect the ,nile by a     
navigable cut with the direct passage of
 the ,isthmus1 and in case the ,maritime
 ,canal should follow an indirect       
course1 the ,egyptian ,government will  

give up to the ,company the uncultivated
 lands belonging to the public domain1  
which shall be irrigated and cultivated 
at the expense of the ,company1 or by   
its instrumentality4  ,the ,company     
shall enjoy the said lands for ten years
 free of taxes1 commencing from the day 
of the opening of the canal2 during the 
remaining eighty-nine years of the      
grant1 the ,company shall pay tithes to 
the ,egyptian ,government1 after which  
period it cannot continue in possession 
of the lands above mentioned without    
paying to the said ,government an impost
 equal to that appointed for lands of   
the same description4   ,,article       
,,viii4  ,to avoid all difficulty on the
 subject of the lands which are to be   
given up to the ,company1 a plan drawn  
by ,m4 ,linant ,bey1 our ,engineer      
,commissioner attached to the ,company1 
shall indicate the lands granted both   
for the line and the establishments of  
the maritime ,canal and for the         
alimentary ,canal from the ,nile1 as    

well as for the purpose of cultivation1 
conformably to the stipulations of      
,article ,,vii4  ,it is moreover        
understood1 that all speculation is     
forbidden from the present time1 upon   
the lands to be granted from the public 
domain1 and that the lands previously   
belonging to private persons and which  
the proprietors may hereafter wish to   
have irrigated by the waters of the     
alimentary ,canal1 made at the cost of  
the ,company1 shall pay a rent of4444   
per feddan cultivated 7or a rent        
amicably settled between the ,government
 and the ,company74   ,,article ,,ix4   
,the ,company is farther allowed to     
extract from the mines and quarries     
belonging to the public domain1 any     
materials necessary for the works of the
 canal and the erections connected      
therewith1 without paying dues2 it shall
 also enjoy the right of free entry for 
all machines and materials which it     
shall import from abroad for the        
purposes of carrying out this grant4    

,,article ,x4  ,at the expiration of the
 grant the ,egyptian ,government will   
take the place of the ,company1 and     
enjoy all its rights without            
reservation1 the said ,government will  
enter into full possession of the ,canal
 of the two ,seas1 and of all the       
establishments connected therewith4 ,the
 indemnity to be allowed the ,company   
for the relinquishment of its plant and 
moveables1 shall be arranged by amicable
 agreement or by arbitration4           
,,article ,,xi4  ,the statutes of the   
,society shall be moreover submitted to 
us by the ,director of the ,company1 and
 must have the sanction of our          
approbation4 ,any modifications that may
 be hereafter introduced must previously
 receive our sanction4 ,the said        
statutes shall set forth the names of   
the founders1 the list of whom we       
reserve to ourselves the right of       
approving4 ,this list shall include     
those persons whose labours1 studies1   
exertions or capital have previously    

contributed to the execution of the     
grand undertaking of the ,canal of      
,suez4   ,,article ,,xii4  ,finally1 we 
promise our true and hearty             
co-operation1 and that of all the       
functionaries of ,egypt in facilitating 
the execution and carrying out of the   
present powers4   ,,to ,,my ,,attached  
,,friend ,m4 ,,ferdinand ,,de ,,lesseps1
 ,,of ,,high ,,birth ,,and ,,elevated   
,,rank4                                 
,cairo1 #cjth of ,november1 #ahed4  ,the
 grant made to the ,company having to be
 ratified by his ,imperial ,majesty the 
,sultan1 ,i send you this copy that you 
may keep it in your possession4 ,with   
regard to the works connected with the  
excavation of the ,canal of ,suez1 they 
are not to be commenced until after they
 are authorized by the ,sublime ,porte4 
#c ,ramadan1 #abga4                     
7,the ,viceroy's ,seal47  ,a true       
translation of the ,turkish text4       
,k,,nig ,,bey1                          
,secretary of ,mandates                 

to his ,highness the ,viceroy4          
,alexandria1 ,may #aith1 #ahee4         
,,appendix4  ,no4 ,,iii4  ,,instructions
 ,,to ,,mm4 ,,linant ,,bey ,,and        
,,mougel ,,bey4     ,,instructions ,,to 
,,mm4 ,,linant ,,bey ,,and ,,mougel     
,,bey1  ,for the ,scheme of a ,maritime 
,canal from the ,red ,sea to the        
,mediterranean1 and an ,alimentary      
,canal derived from the ,nile4          
,cairo1 ,january #ae1 #ahee4  ,having   
just finished the exploration confided  
to us by his ,highness ,mohammed ,sad   
,pacha1 ,i think it right to direct the 
attention of ,,mm4 ,linant ,bey and     
,mougel ,bey to the principal points    
intended to serve as a programme to the 
precursory scheme which we have agreed  
to present1 as a preliminary to a more  
complete report1 accompanied by plans1  
maps1 sections1 estimates1 and other    
documents in explanation4  #a4 ,for the 
entrance on the ,red ,sea side2 to show 
what works it will be necessary to      
execute1 as jetties1 reservoirs1        

sluices1 c4 if the present port is made 
use of4 ,to settle the direction of the 
channel from the present anchorage of   
the roads of ,suez1 to the entrance of  
the ,canal4  #b4 ,to show the exact     
direction of the ,canal from ,suez1 to  
that part of the ancient basin of the   
,red ,sea called the ,bitter ,lakes4    
#c4 ,to explain how it is intended to   
take advantage of this basin1 and       
whether1 in passing through it1 the     
,maritime ,canal is to have one or two  
banks1 or not to have any at all4  #d4  
,to lay down the continuation of the    
,canal as far as the basin of ,lake     
,timsah1 which is intended to serve as  
an inland port4  #e4 ,works to be       
performed in rendering ,lake ,timsah fit
 for the object proposed4 ,to give the  
length of the quay walls4 ,in its       
passage through ,lake ,timsah1 the      
,canal must be excavated of a greater   
breadth than in the rest of its course1 
in order to allow the vessels to lay at 
the quays without obstructing the       

passage4 ,these quays are to be         
established1 as far as possible1 in the 
neighbourhood of the fresh water canal4 
#f4 ,course of the ,maritime ,canal from
 ,lake ,timsah to ,lake ,menzaleh4  #g4 
,the works to be executed along ,lake   
,menzaleh1 or in the lake itself1 for   
the course of the ,canal4  #h4 ,is the  
opening of the ,canal into the          
,mediterranean to be at the opening of  
the ancient ,pelusiac branch8  #i4 ,to  
specify particularly the kind1 nature1  
and dimensions of the works that will   
have to be executed in jetties1 moles1  
breakwaters1 reservoirs1 retaining      
basins1 c4 in order to obviate the      
objections made up to the present time1 
as to the difficulties or alleged       
impossibilities1 proceeding from        
alluvial deposits on the coast1 and the 
choking up of the opening of a ,canal   
into the ,mediterranean4 ,this part of  
the scheme must be based upon           
incontestable proofs1 exemplifications1 
and calculations4  #aj4 ,what is the    

bulk of water that will enter the       
,maritime ,canal from the ,red ,sea at  
each tide8  #aa4 ,what advantage may be 
derived from the height of the tides1   
both in the course of the ,maritime     
,canal1 in the basin of the ,bitter     
,lakes1 and at the ,pelusiac mouth8     
#ab4 ,to calculate for the ,maritime    
,canal at a breadth of #ajj metres at   
the level of low water in the           
,mediterranean1 with liberty to reduce  
it to sixty-five or seventy metres1 in  
those few instances where the necessary 
excavations and removals would be too   
considerable4 ,the water line1 or depth1
 is to be calculated at six1 at seven1  
and at eight metres1 all below the level
 of low water in the ,mediterranean1 in 
order that the ,company may choose1     
according to the expense1 that one of   
the three depths which shall be most    
advantageous to its interests1 combined 
with those of the navigation4  #ac4 ,to 
obviate the objections relative to the  
difficulties of navigation in the ,red  

,sea and in the ,gulf of ,pelusium4     
#ad4 ,to make a rough estimate of the   
maximum of all the expenses1 and to     
state the probable date when the ,canal 
can be opened for navigation4  #ae4 ,to 
accompany the scheme of the ,maritime   
,canal1 with a scheme for a ,canal of   
communication1 of alimentation1 and     
irrigation derived from the ,nile1      
taking its point of departure between   
the barrage and ,boulak1 to reach the   
,wady1 and come as far as ,lake ,timsah4
 ,the dimensions shall be so calculated1
 that1 taking into account its fall and 
its supply1 the ,canal may water at     
least #ajj1jjj feddans at the time of   
the inundation1 and from #bj to #cj1jjj 
during the low water of the river4 ,in  
the vicinity of ,lake ,timsah1 with     
which it will communicate1 this ,canal  
is to be divided into two branches1 for 
simple irrigation2 the first to be      
directed towards ,suez1 the other       
towards ,pelusium4  #af4 ,to examine    
whether the sands of the downs on the   

,isthmus1 will occasion any obstacle to 
the construction and maintenance of the 
,canal1 and how they may be turned to   
account by means of the ,irrigating     
,canal4  #ag4 ,to furnish a maximum     
estimate of the secondary ,canal derived
 from the ,nile1 and to state the length
 of time required for the works4  #ah4  
,to give an account of the nature and   
quality of the materials1 which can be  
easily1 and without great cost of       
transport1 applied in the whole of the  
works1 and also the localities from     
whence they are to be obtained4  #ai4   
,finally1 to furnish an approximate     
statement of the minimum anticipated    
revenues1 of the grand ,maritime ,canal1
 and of the ,canal of alimentation and  
interior navigation4  ,i do not mean to 
confine the labours of ,,mm4 ,linant    
,bey and ,mougel ,bey1 within the mere  
limits indicated in this programme4     
,while bearing witness to the good      
understanding that ,i have observed to  
exist between them1 and the identity of 

their convictions1 as to the possibility
 of the communication between the ,red  
,sea and the ,mediterranean1 by a ,canal
 accessible to large vessels1 ,i beg    
them1 in case the opinion of either1    
upon any question whatever1 should not  
be entertained by the other1 to state   
the difference of their views1 and to   
assign the reasons thereof4  ,finally1  
the precursory scheme1 accompanied by an
 explanatory map1 is to be finished as  
quickly as possible4                    
7,signed7 ,,ferd4 ,,de ,,lesseps4       
,,appendix4  ,no4 ,,iv4  ,,precursory   
,,scheme ,,of ,,mm4 ,,linant ,,bey ,,and
 ,,mougel ,,bey1 ,,engineers ,,to ,,the 
,,viceroy ,,of ,,egypt4     ,,extract   
,,from ,,the ,,memorial ,,of ,,mm4      
,,linant ,,bey ,,and ,,mougel ,,bey1    
,,engineers ,,to ,,the ,,viceroy ,,of   
,,egypt1#d  ,by way of ,precursory      
,scheme for cutting through the ,isthmus
 of ,suez1 by a direct ,maritime ,canal 
from ,pelusium to ,suez4   ,the         
enlightened ,prince who now governs     

,egypt1 ,mohammed ,sad ,pacha1 wishing  
to withdraw the question of cutting     
through the ,isthmus of ,suez from the  
uncertainties of theory1 and to bring it
 into practical reality1 has granted a  
firman by which he concedes to the      
,universal ,company formed by the       
capitalists of all countries1 who are   
freely willing to take part in the      
undertaking1 the construction and       
working of a ,maritime ,canal between   
the ,red ,sea and the ,mediterranean1   
with an additional ,canal for           
communication and irrigation1 derived   
from the ,nile4  ,dictating himself the 
terms of the ,firman of ,concession1    
,prince ,mohammed ,sad has required that
 the undertaking shall be complete1 and 
that an attentive examination of the    
localities be made1 in order to profit  
by all the advantages offered by nature4
 ,he has recommended that the shortest  
track be followed1 the least expensive1 
and that which will admit of the largest
 ships4 ,his early studies and his      

experience in nautical art1 have        
perfectly prepared him for the          
comprehension of all the bearings of the
 scientific question4 ,he has indicated 
,pelusium and ,suez1 as the extreme     
points of the cutting to be made in that
 narrow tract of land1 which presents a 
longitudinal depression across the      
,isthmus1 of thirty leagues1 and which  
is formed by the meeting of the two     
plains descending with a gradual slope1 
the one from ,egypt1 the other from the 
frontier hills of ,asia4 ,he considers  
that nature has herself traced out the  
communication between the two ,seas1 in 
the line of this depression4  ,towards  
,lake ,timsah1 situated at an equal     
distance from ,suez and ,pelusium1      
another not less remarkable furrow meets
 the longitudinal depression at right   
angles2 it is that of the ,wady ,tomilat
 7the fruitful land of ,goshen of       
,scripture74 ,this furrow still         
receives1 for a considerable length1 the
 overflowings of the ,nile1 and also    

appears to form the natural track of a  
canal of communication1 commencing at   
the river and proceeding to connect     
itself in the central part of the       
,isthmus1 with the grand line of        
navigation to be established between the
 ,arabian ,gulf and the ,mediterranean4 
,the ,maritime ,canal will thus be      
brought into communication with the     
heart of ,egypt1 by a fresh water canal1
 which will receive the same navigation 
as the ,nile1 and will serve also for   
the irrigation of large zones of the    
desert1 exhibiting at present the most  
wild and desolate aspect4  ,upon these  
data we have been instructed to make a  
preliminary report4  ,before giving the 
results of our investigations1 it has   
appeared necessary to us to justify the 
idea of a direct track between the two  
,seas2 for this line never having been  
executed1 although it is the most       
natural1 it might be supposed that      
whenever the junction of the two ,seas  
has been attempted1 such difficulties   

have been met with1 that it has been    
obliged to be relinquished2 but this is 
by no means the case1 as we shall       
presently show4  ,in fact1 what ,m4     
,lebeau says in his ,histoire du ,bas   
,empire 7tom1 xii41 p4 #dij71 following 
,abulfeda1 ,prince of ,syria1 historian 
and geographer1 who was living in the   
year #gec of the ,hegira1 is as         
follows3--  8,the coast at ,farma 7a    
town a little to the east of ,pelusium1 
on the ,mediterranean7 was only seventy 
miles 7#ajf1jjj metres7 distant from the
 ,red ,sea4 ,this space was a very      
smooth plain1 slightly elevated above   
the level of the two ,seas4 ,amrou      
formed the design of uniting them by a  
canal1 which he would have filled with  
the waters of the ,nile2 but ,omar      
having opposed it1 from fear of opening 
an entrance into ,arabia for the ships  
of the ,christians1 ,amrou turned his   
thoughts in another direction4 ,there   
was an ancient canal1 called ,trajanus  
,amnis1 which ,adrian caused to be      

brought from the ,nile near to ,babylon1
 in ,egypt1 as far as ,pharbotus1 now   
,belbes4 ,he met at this place with     
another canal1 commenced by ,nechos1 and
 continued by ,darius ,hystaspes1 and   
the two together discharged themselves  
into a lagoon of salt water1 at the     
outlet of which ,ptolemy ,philadelphus  
caused a large trench to be made1 which 
conducted the waters as far as the town 
of ,arsino1 or ,cleopatris1 at that part
 of the ,gulf where ,suez now is4  8,the
 whole of this canal1 being filled up   
with sand1 had become useless at the    
time of the famous ,cleopatra4 ,amrou   
was not deterred by the ancient         
prejudice1 which1 supposing the waters  
of the ,red ,sea to be higher than the  
soil of ,egypt1 created a fear of       
opening a passage for them2 and he made 
it navigable for the transport of the   
corn of ,egypt into ,arabia4 ,it is that
 which is now called ,khalig1 which     
passes through ,cairo1 but it only goes 
as far as the lagoon called the ,lake of

 ,sheib4 ,the remainder1 as far as the  
,red ,sea1 is entirely filled up1       
although some traces of it are still    
distinguishable40  ,we have thought it  
necessary to quote the entire passage1  
because it clearly establishes the      
question of the ,canal1 and certain     
facts to which we shall return          
hereafter4  ,after ,amrou came the      
,sultan1 ,mustapha ,,iii41 who took     
great interest in the scheme for the    
junction of the two ,seas by the        
,isthmus of ,suez1 and who intended to  
execute this work at a time of peace4   
7,see ,mmoires sur les ,turcs1 by ,m4   
,de ,tott1 ,parts iii4 and iv47  ,m4    
,lepre proposed1 it is true1 the track  
of the secondary canal between          
,alexandria and the interior of ,egypt2 
but his opinion upon the direct track by
 the ,isthmus of ,suez is expressed in  
these terms3--  8,in this project of the
 ,canal of ,suez1 we have expressly     
based the choice of the ancient         
direction by the interior of the ,delta 

towards ,alexandria1 upon commercial    
considerations peculiar to ,egypt1 and  
upon the fact that the coast near       
,pelusium does not appear to allow of a 
permanent maritime establishment4       
,nevertheless1 we think it right to     
acknowledge1 that1 waving these         
considerations1 it would still be easy  
7although1 on the contrary1 it appeared 
difficult1 and even dangerous1 before   
the invention of locks7 to open a direct
 communication between ,suez1 the       
,bitter ,lakes1 and the ,ras-el-,moyeh1 
continued upon the eastern bank of ,lake
 ,menzaleh1 as far as the sea near      
,pelusium4  8,we think that a canal     
opened in this direction would have an  
advantage which the interior canal would
 not4 ,in fact there might be constant  
navigation upon it1 which would not be  
subject to the alternations of the      
rising and decreasing of the ,nile4 ,it 
would be easy to maintain a greater     
depth in it than in the first canal1 by 
means of a current fed by the immense   

reservoir of the ,bitter ,lakes4444 ,i  
will add1 that if ,i did not perceive   
some difficulties in excavating1 and    
maintaining at a proper depth1 the      
channel between ,suez and the roadstead1
 ,i would propose to establish a direct 
communication of the two ,seas by the   
,isthmus1 for the use of corvettes and  
even of frigates1 which would become the
 complement of this grand and important 
operation40  ,it will be seen then1 that
 ,m4 ,lepre himself acknowledged1 that  
the direct track was the most           
advantageous for the commerce of the    
world1 while the interior ,canal was    
especially advantageous to ,egypt4 ,it  
is evident that with the two ,canals1   
the one direct1 on a large section1 the 
other on a small section and derived    
from the ,nile1 all interests are most  
abundantly satisfied4  ,we will finish  
these observations by quoting the       
opinion of two distinguished            
staff-officers1 ,,mm4 ,galinier and     
,ferret1 who have surveyed and well     

investigated the ,red ,sea4 ,they have  
given a clear1 rapid1 and judicious     
analysis of the question4      8,it is  
not in the accomplishment of this       
project 7the interior     canal71 that  
the real junction of the two ,seas      
consists4 ,this     problem will not be 
resolved1 until the ,isthmus shall      
present     a practicable opening1 by   
which all ships may pass without        
unloading4 ,in order to this1 it must be
 operated upon directly     from        
,pelusium to ,suez2 on this line the    
desert is narrower than     anywhere    
else4 ,it is also in this direction1    
that the great     depression of which  
we have spoken extends1 and at the      
bottom     of which the grand basin of  
the ,bitter ,lakes is situated4         
,everything therefore points out this   
spot in the strip of land     for the   
construction of a canal4 ,everything1   
with one single     exception1 which is1
 that there is not1 they say1 any port  
at the extremity of this line of        

navigation2 that of ,suez     is partly 
filled up with sand1 and upon the       
,mediterranean1     not a harbour1 not a
 single roadstead1 which now affords    
any safety4 ,yet more1 some travellers  
have stated1 that if     it were        
required to form a port1 it would be    
necessary to     contend against masses 
of sand1 which1 continually shifted     
from west to east by a tolerably rapid  
current1 seem to oppose     any maritime
 establishment upon that coast4 ,in fact
 it is1     they say1 for this reason   
that ,alexander laid much farther to    
the west the foundations of the town    
which bears his name1     and which he  
wished to become the emporium of the    
world4 ,but     is the objection very   
serious at the present time8 can the    
obstacle1 which occasions this anxiety1 
resist the constructive     means which 
are at the disposal of our engineers8   
,we think     not4 ,to create a port    
without the assistance of nature2 to    
put a restraint upon the sea2 to reduce 

it to subjection2 to     impose upon it 
an artificial roadstead2 and to maintain
 that     roadstead1 in spite of the    
natural causes operating to destroy     
it3 is a problem which has ceased to    
terrify modern art4      8,let us take  
the port of ,pelusium1--see how easily  
the     difficulty would be removed6    
,suppose the ,bitter ,lakes to be       
filled with the waters of the ,arabian  
,gulf2 by the action     of the tides   
alone1 more than #gjj1jjj1jjj cubic     
metres of     water might be turned to  
account1 the velocity of which would    
constantly scour the channel1 and       
prevent the accumulation of     sand at 
its mouth4      8,after all that has    
been done by printing1 the mariner's    
compass1 steam1--the nineteenth century1
 by the realization     of this vast    
undertaking1 would again change the face
 of the     globe4 ,but1 not to carry   
our views and our anticipations so      
far1 in a zone nearer at hand1 ,arabia  
and ,abyssinia1 the vast     country of 

the ,gallas1 the deserts of the western 
coast     of the ,red ,sea1 with their  
roving populations1 attached by         
powerful ties to the vast circle of     
traffic which our continent             
unceasingly creates and feeds--will     
enter into the pale of the     ,european
 world4 ,navigation and industry charged
 with the supply     of immense         
countries destitute of everything1 will 
take a more     extensive range4 ,in the
 wake of commerce1 enlightenment and    
civilization will penetrate1 by degrees1
 that dreary night     which envelopes  
the ,mussulman world40  ,the advantage  
of the new track being thus sufficiently
 proved from a general point of view1 we
 shall now enter into the details of the
 scheme with regard to its execution4   
,we will begin with the levelling of the
 line from ,pelusium to ,suez4 ,these   
levels were taken by some engineers     
attached to the ,french expedition1 and 
the difference between the level of high
 water at ,suez1 and of low water at    

,tineh1 was found to be #i met41 #ij1 in
 favour of the ,red ,sea4 ,although this
 result has been explained by geological
 and historical considerations1 the fact
 appeared so extraordinary that several 
travellers came to the spot to verify   
it4 ,some ,english officers amongst     
others1 operating first with the        
barometer1 and afterwards with the      
boiling water process1 were not able to 
discover any perceptible difference     
between the levels of the two ,seas4    
,these investigations1 published in a   
pamphlet which has come before us1 and  
which were known to the learned world1  
had occasioned much uncertainty1 when1  
in #ahdg1 a society established for the 
investigation of the ,isthmus of ,suez1 
and at the head of which were ,,mm4     
,ngrelli1 ,robert ,stephenson and       
,talabot1 caused a complete survey to be
 made by ,french engineers1 under the   
direction of ,m4 ,bourdaloue1 well known
 for his improved methods of levelling1 
and his numerous labours in that        

particular branch4 ,these able and      
experienced surveyors1 provided with    
good instruments1 and accompanied by a  
numerous staff1 were formed into several
 divisions1 which operated separately1  
and thus were able to obtain divers     
verifications4  ,to give still greater  
facility and more security to the       
operations of the engineers1 ,his       
,highness the viceroy1 who had          
generously provided for all the         
requirements of the expedition1         
condescended to make choice of one of us
 to direct the whole of the operations1 
with the assistance of a brigade of     
,egyptian ,engineers and a ,company of  
artillerymen1 who assisted in all the   
operations of levelling and             
verification4  ,m4 ,talabot1 the        
engineer1 in a report published in      
#ahdg1 has entered into all the details 
of these operations1 and has given an   
irrefutable proof of the results        
obtained4 ,as these results differed    
very widely from those obtained by the  

engineers of the ,french expedition1 it 
was difficult to believe in so great an 
error4  ,m4 ,sabatier1 ,consul ,general 
of ,france in ,egypt1 having been       
informed of the wish of some learned    
,frenchmen to have a fresh verification1
 spontaneously applied to the viceroy of
 ,egypt1 and one of us was appointed to 
undertake it in consequence4  ,the      
verification was made in #ahec4 ,it     
resulted in favour of the surveyors of  
#ahdg4 ,for1 the new levels only differ 
#j met41 #ahad1 from those of #ahdg1 and
 give as the difference of level between
 the station on the quay of the hotel at
 ,suez1 and low water in the            
,mediterranean #b met41 #dbhf1 instead  
of #b met41 #fajj found by the          
operations in #ahdg4  ,there cannot be a
 moment's hesitation in making choice   
between the levellings of #agii and     
those of #ahdg and #ahec1 for the two   
latter were taken under the most        
favourable circumstances by experienced 
surveyors provided with the best        

instruments1 and were verified several  
times without finding any perceptible   
difference by these various             
verifications2 whilst the levelling of  
#agii was undertaken in the midst of the
 vicissitudes and dangers of warfare1 in
 a hostile country1 and in a climate to 
which the engineers were not accustomed4
 ,one part of the operations was        
performed with the spirit level2 another
 rather important portion could only be 
done with the water level2 the surveyors
 frequently differed2 none of the       
divisions of these levellings could be  
verified2 and if the last operations had
 been retarded ever so little1 the      
incidents of the war would have made    
them impossible2 the operations had to  
be performed with rapidity1 and the     
levels taken in long lengths2 with      
frequent interruptions1 and without the 
check of any verification4 ,this is what
 ,m4 ,lepre has stated in his memorial1 
where he expresses himself thus3--      
8,pressed for time1 disturbed by the    

hostile demonstrations of the ,arab     
tribes1 frequently obliged to suspend   
operations1 obliged in fine to take a   
great part of the observations with a   
water level1 with no possibility of     
making any verification1 it is not at   
all surprising that the able engineers  
who conducted these operations under    
such exceptional circumstances should   
have arrived at uncertain results40 ,we 
have therefore adopted the levels taken 
in #ahdg and in #ahec1 as the only true 
ones1 the only ones that were verified1 
and the only satisfactory ones4 ,we give
 an abstract of them in the following   
table3--  ,,stations ,,with ,,the       
,,levels ,,taken ,,in #ahec1 ,,compared 
,,with ,,the ,,levels ,,taken ,,at ,,the
 ,,same ,,stations ,,in #ahdg4          
,taken from low water    ,variation     
in the ,mediterranean    from the       
,,stations4                   at ,tineh4
          ,levels of                    
------------------------                
#ahec4       #ahdg4      #ahdg4         

-----------------------------------     
,low water in the                       
,mediterranean at ,tineh4      #j m4    
#jjjj #j m4 #jjjj #j m4 #jjjj           
,stations of the ,german                
,engineers at ,tineh4          #a m4    
#eehf #a m4 #gdjj #j m4 #ahad           
,station at the ,staff #bi ,l4          
#ahec1 point #bf of                     
,bourdaloue's triangulation             
of the most elevated ,lagoons           
of ,lake ,menzaleh at ,ras el           
,ballah4                      #a m4     
#ihjj #a m4 #ihjj #j m4 #jjjj           
,station #d ,l4 #ahec1                  
,bourdaloue's point                     
,a1 which was found and                 
verified4                    #g m4 #hbaj
 #g m4 #dcjj #j m4 #ciaj                
,bourdaloue's ,station ,staff           
at the mouth of the ,canal              
7this staff is not certain74 #c m4 #hbhj
 #c m4 #jhjj #j m4 #gdhj                
,station #c ,l4 #ahec1 at the     #af m4
 #eiejaf m4 #bcjj #j m4 #cfej           

,serapeum1 or ,bourdaloue's    #b m4    
#dajj   ----        ----       ,no4 #hc4
                                        
,upon the most elevated         #b m4   
#jcjj   ----        ----       deposits 
in the basin        #a m4 #hfjj #a m4   
#hjjj #j m4 #jfjj       of the ,isthmus4
                                        
,station #b ,l4 #ahec1 and              
,bourdaloue's ,station ,b4              
#cj1 on a block of                      
petrified wood1 covered                 
with sandy secretions1                  
placed upon the deposits in             
the basin of the ,isthmus4    #b m4     
#dchj #b m4 #aajj #j m4 #cbhj           
,station #a ,l4 #ahec1 at the           
,persepolitan monument1                 
upon a block of sandstone1              
south of the ,bourdaloue                
excavations4                #aa m4      
#fcjjaa m4 #cgjj #j m4 #bfjj            
,station on the ,caravan ,road1         
at the ,staff ,station1                 
#c ,l4 #ahec4                   #b m4   

#cijj   ----        ----                
,station at the staff at                
the starting point                      
,no4 #a1 ,l4 #ahec4              #a m4  
#eahf   ----        ----                
,station on the quay of                 
the ,suez hotel1 the same               
as that of ,m4 ,bourdaloue4    #b m4    
#dbhf #b m4 #fajj #j m4 #ahad  ,the most
 striking fact to be observed in the    
examination of this table is1 the slight
 relief of the ground above high water  
of the ,red ,sea1 in the whole extent of
 the ,isthmus4 ,there are only two      
points somewhat elevated4 ,the first1   
proceeding from ,suez1 is met with      
before ,lake ,timsah1 and is that which 
we shall call the ,serapeum bar2 its    
greatest elevation is #af met41 #eiej1  
above low water in the ,mediterranean4  
,the second point is at the outlet of   
the lake1 and its greatest elevation is 
fifteen metres1 at the spot known as the
 bar of ,el ,guisr2 but the line of the 
,canal may be carried in a direction    

where but ten metres are met with for   
some kilometres of length4 ,supposing   
therefore the bed of the canal to be    
established at the depth of #f met41    
#ej1 below low water in the             
,mediterranean1 the greatest excavation 
would be at the bar of ,el ,guisr1 and  
would show a total depth of #af met41   
#ej1 which is nothing extraordinary2    
supposing it even twenty metres1 the    
requisite excavation would bear no      
comparison with what was executed in    
,mexico1 during the ,spanish occupation4
 ,for1 in their then difficult position1
 and in the absence of tools and        
improved means1 the ,spaniards were able
 to effect1 near the town of ,mexico1   
which was threatened with invasion by   
the waters of the neighbouring lakes1   
the cutting of ,huehuetoca1 the total   
length of which is #bj1ehe metres1 and  
its depth from forty-five to sixty      
metres1 for a length of more than #hjj  
metres1 and from thirty to fifty metres 
for a length of #cejj metres4 ,and yet  

the expense of this work was only       
#ca1jjj1jjj francs4  ,the levelling also
 shows1 that by adopting #f met41 #ej1  
for the bed of the ,canal1 there will be
 a length of #ah kil4 in the ,bitter    
,lakes1 where there will not be a       
shovelful to remove1 and for another #ah
 kil4 there will be very little to do2  
and as these lakes are dry at a depth of
 #h met41 #ci1 below low water1 all the 
earth-works for the whole length of them
 could be performed in the dry1 if found
 advantageous to do so4  ,the numerous  
transverse sections taken with the      
levelling of #ahdg1 enable us to        
ascertain approximately the superfice of
 the ,bitter ,lakes at the water line4  
,this superfice is about #ccj1jjj1jjj   
square metres4 ,if1 then1 the action of 
the tide1 which brings two metres of    
moving water1 be admitted into these    
lakes1 a disposable volume of           
#ffj1jjj1jjj cubic metres of water would
 be accumulated1 and which might be     
raised to #hjj1jjj1jjj by adding ,lake  

,timsah and the retaining basins at     
,suez and ,pelusium to these immense    
reservoirs4  ,before pointing out the   
various directions of the adopted track1
 it appears necessary to arrive at a    
fixed opinion as to the formation of the
 ,isthmus and of the downs by which it  
is partly covered1 and also as to the   
accumulations of sand which exist both  
on the coast of ,pelusium and at the    
bottom of the ,gulf of ,suez2 for it is 
from the explanation of these phenomena 
that we shall start in our justification
 of the arrangements of the direct track
 in general and in detail4  ,by         
attentively observing what is passing   
before our eyes at the present time1 in 
respect of the destruction and          
recomposition of continuity1 we may come
 to an exact conclusion regarding the   
laws which operated towards the first   
ages of the world in the formation of   
alluvial lands4  ,let us first examine  
what is going on in the ,english        
,channel2 for this narrow sea having a  

large number of ports both on the       
,french and ,english coasts1 has on that
 account been the object of numerous    
observations by engineers4  ,the first  
well recognised fact is the destruction 
of the coast from the point of ,barfleur
 as far as the ,somme1 a distance of    
#cch kilometres2 and on the other side  
of the channel1 from the ,isle of ,wight
 to ,dover1 a distance of #bej          
kilometres4 ,this action is produced by 
the alternation of frost and thaw1 by   
dry and moist winds1 and by the saline  
evaporation of the sea4 ,the abrasion   
observed on the coast of ,calvados is an
 average of #j met41 #be1 per ann4 and  
on the coasts of ,normandy and ,england 
#j met41 #cj4 ,the mean height of the   
cliffs on either side being sixty       
metres1 it follows that the channel     
swallows up an amount of #aj1jjj1jjj    
cubic metres of earth and stones every  
year1 which must find a place somewhere4
  ,the second fact1 equally well        
established1 and which1 though opposed  

to the opinion of the ancients1 can no  
longer leave any doubt on the mind1 is1 
that rivers1 with a few rare            
exceptions1--such as the ,loire for     
instance1--only carry to the sea an     
extremely thin mud1 destined to be lost 
in the mass of matter held in suspension
 by the latter2 that the sands of rivers
 do not in general reach the sea1 and   
that the muddy or sandy deposits        
observed in tidal rivers1 are entirely  
owing to the matters brought by the     
tide4 ,this discovery has been arrived  
at as follows4  ,in making the analysis 
of the alluvial lands forming the ,bay  
of ,st4 ,michael1 it was found that the 
principal substances of their formation 
are silex and the carbonate of lime2    
that the nearer the sea is approached1  
the more the proportion of silex        
increases2 the more it is receded from1 
the more considerable the proportion of 
carbonate of lime becomes4 ,now if the  
basins of the three rivers which        
discharge themselves into this bay1 the 

,se1 the ,selime and the ,cousnon1 be   
examined1 they will be found entirely   
destitute of calcareous substances4 ,it 
is the same with the coasts of the      
channel and of ,brittany4 ,it cannot1   
therefore1 be either from these rivers  
or from the coasts that the enormous    
proportion of silex proceeds which has  
just been described4 ,if samples are    
examined with a magnifying glass1       
commencing with those nearest the sea1  
and afterwards proceeding farther into  
the bay1 in the first1 fragments of     
shells are perceived quite              
distinguishable1 then these fragments   
are reduced and become so impalpable1   
that the best glass will no longer      
enable us to distinguish the form in the
 most calcareous portions4  ,it is1     
therefore1 certain that the calcareous  
part comes exclusively from the sea1 and
 even from the bottom of the roadstead  
of ,cancale4 ,as for the silex and clay1
 a part in their deposit may be         
attributed to the rivers2 but it should 

first be understood how unimportant     
these three small rivers are1 each      
discharging not more than an average of 
eight to ten cubic metres of water per  
second4 ,farther1 if the contributions  
of the rivers reckoned for anything in  
the deposits which are made in this     
locality1 clayey or gravelly            
stratifications would be seen on their  
banks at the parts where the tide is    
least felt4 ,nothing of the kind occurs4
 ,the mixture of the calcareous matter1 
the grains of silex1 and the            
argillaceous atoms is so intimate1 that 
it is evident it could only be made at  
the very centre of the production of the
 calcareous matter2 that is to say1 at  
the bottom of the sea4 ,if the          
fluviatile deposit was appreciable1 it  
would counterbalance entirely1 or in    
part1 the calcareous overplus in the    
drift taken from the top of the         
roadstead1 as compared with that taken  
at the bottom4 ,far from this being the 
case1 the progression of the calcareous 

element1 which can only come from the   
sea1 is seen in proportion to the       
elevation of the shores4 ,finally1 if   
the fluviatile deposit ought to be      
reckoned for anything1 a larger         
proportion of clay would be seen upon   
the brink of the ,se1 which traverses   
fissile lands1 than in the neighbouring 
channel of the ,cousnon1 which traverses
 lands of a much harder character1      
furnishing less clay than the fissile   
ground of the ,se and the ,selime4 ,now1
 the contrary is the case2 the drifts of
 the neighbouring channel of the        
,cousnon are more clayey than the       
others1 solely because this channel     
being more sheltered than the beds of   
the other two rivers1 the muddy matter  
which the sea always holds so abundantly
 in suspension1 and which it deposits in
 the basins of ports1 can be carried    
there concurrently with the drifts4  ,on
 making the same investigations for the 
,seine1 it was found that the sands     
transported by this river do not pass   

,rouen1 and that all the accretions that
 are seen lower down1 as far as the     
flats which are met with at its mouth1  
are deposits by the sea4  ,the same     
results were arrived at for the ,scheld4
  ,as to the ,meuse and the ,rhine1 the 
following deductions have been made4    
,the abrasion of the coasts of the      
channel supplies the sea with fragments 
of chalk and siliceous rocks1 which     
being rolled about by the sea become    
shingle4 ,this shingle forms banks along
 the ,english and ,french coasts1 and   
forced by the double action of flood and
 wind towards the straits it approaches 
them2 but the shingle on the coast of   
,france continually decreasing in size1 
reaches the mouth of the ,somme1 where  
it finds the point of ,cayeux formed by 
its accumulation4 ,stopped at this point
 by the waters of the ,somme1 and by the
 change in the direction of the current 
of the sea which turns towards the ,pas 
de ,calais1 this shingle increases the  
point of ,cayeux1 so long as its        

continual collision has not sufficiently
 reduced the size of the stones for them
 to be carried away by the sea2 but when
 they are small enough1 the flood bears 
them away and distributes them on the   
numerous banks which are found between  
the ,somme and the ,pas de ,calais4     
,from the inspection of ,marine ,charts1
 it is seen that the fineness of the    
deposit increases in proportion as these
 banks are nearer to the straits1 and if
 the banks disappear in the ,straits1 it
 is because the force of the current    
does not allow the sands1 which from    
being sifted for a long time have become
 finer and finer1 to stop in that       
passage4 ,they pass it therefore and    
some go to form the downs between       
,dunkirk and the ,scheld1 others in like
 manner to form downs on the ,english   
coast1 others remaining in the strongest
 currents are carried as far as the     
mouths of the ,humber in ,england1 and  
of the ,meuse and ,rhine on the         
,continent4  ,if the shape of the       

,english and ,french coasts to the north
 and south of the ,straits is observed  
attentively1 it will strike every one   
that those to the south are cut out into
 concave indentations1 while those to   
the north all affect the convex form4   
,it is because the coasts to the south  
of the ,straits are abraded by the tide1
 and those to the north1 on the         
contrary1 are fed by the accretions4 ,as
 for the muddy matters in this long     
course1 they can only be deposited in a 
few perfectly tranquil creeks1 or in the
 basins of open ports on either coast4  
,wherever the tide penetrates they are  
carried with it1 and1 when finally it   
has entered the northern sea1 and made a
 course sufficiently long to abate its  
swiftness1 it finds itself in an        
excellent condition for depositing these
 muddy matters1 which it holds in       
suspension4 ,this is what it does at the
 mouth of the ,humber1 where it         
completely chokes up the port of ,hull4 
,in like manner1 the muddy matters form 

at the mouth of the ,rhine1 of the      
,meuse1 and of the ,scheld1 those       
immense polders1 which constitute such  
an essential part of the territory of   
,holland1 and the numerous banks at the 
mouth of these rivers are only composed 
of sand and carbonate of lime4 ,now the 
rapidity of the current1 long before    
reaching the mouth1 is not sufficiently 
great to carry down the sands2 in fact1 
no trace of them is perceived2 these    
banks are therefore the production of   
the sea4  ,finally1 in order to         
appreciate at the maximum the power of  
the fluviatile deposit in the formation 
of the coasts1 observations have been   
made upon the ,yssel1 that branch of the
 ,rhine which discharges itself into the
 ,zuyderzee4 ,this sea has but very     
feeble tides1 #j met41 #dj1 at ordinary 
high water1 and very much resembles the 
,mediterranean1 the ,black ,sea1 and the
 ,adriatic ,gulf in this respect4 ,a    
muddy ,delta has also been formed at the
 mouth of the ,yssel1 of the same shape 

as those of the ,rhone1 the ,po1 the    
,nile1 c4 c4 ,this ,delta cannot be     
exclusively owing to the ,yssel1        
because1 although it is true that the   
tides of the ,zuyderzee are very feeble1
 on the other hand the shores which     
surround it are of an exceedingly       
friable nature2 now1 however feeble the 
tides may be1 they yet attack the banks1
 and what proves it1 is1 that the       
,hollanders are obliged to defend them4 
,by considering the ,delta of the ,yssel
 as a fluviatile deposit solely1 we     
shall therefore have an extreme case4   
,now1 this ,delta has a superfice of    
only #aejj hectares1 while the superfice
 of the land in ,holland1 which is      
evidently of modern deposit1 is at least
 #a1jjj1jjj hectares4 ,if it is observed
 that the ,yssel only emits a fifteenth 
of the whole volume of the ,rhine and   
the ,meuse united1 it will give #bb1ejj 
hectares for the deposit of the river1  
against #a1jjj1jjj deposited by the sea2
 which is scarcely two per cent4 of what

 the sea has furnished in the formation 
of the polders of ,holland4  ,from the  
examination of all these facts1 it      
evidently results1 as we have said1 that
 in seas with tides1 the rivers not only
 do not form banks1 alluvium1 or deltas 
at their mouths1 but farther1 that the  
alluvium found in the regions of these  
rivers submitted to the action of the   
tide1 is deposited by the sea4  ,we     
shall now prove that these conclusions  
are equally true for the rivers of the  
,mediterranean1 notwithstanding the     
opinion of the ,italian engineers1 who  
have considered the fluviatile origin of
 their deltas as demonstrated4  ,to give
 an idea of the propagation of the waves
 or billows of the sea agitated by the  
wind1 they have been compared to a field
 of corn under the action of the air4   
,it seems as if the ears of corn had an 
impulsive swiftness1 which however does 
not exist1 since they do not quit their 
places4 ,farther1 if the wind is feeble1
 it is only the ears which waver without

 the stalks being shaken2 but1 in       
proportion as the wind rises1 the stalks
 take part in the movement to a greater 
and greater depth down to the root4     
,the waves have been again compared to  
the movements of a cord1 which is made  
to undulate by shaking one of its       
extremities in the hand4 ,it seems as if
 the cord was going at a rapid rate1    
while in reality it does not quit the   
hand that shakes it1 only each point of 
it rises and falls alternately1 and this
 movement is the greater according as   
the impulse is stronger2 if the         
extremity of the cord opposite to that  
which receives this impulse encounters  
an obstacle1 as the surface of a wall   
for instance1 it will strike it at each 
movement of the hand4  ,it is exactly   
the same with the waves of the sea2     
every fluid molecule placed at the      
surface of the billow experiences an    
oscillatory movement nearly vertical1 so
 that if a body floating on the surface 
of a wave is watched it will be seen to 

remain in the same place1 sometimes in  
the hollow of the wave1 sometimes on its
 summit1 and if at length it changes its
 place1 that depends upon other         
circumstances1 such as the force of the 
wind or the direction of the currents4  
,this oscillatory movement which is     
perceived on the surface of the sea1 is 
necessarily developed to a certain      
depth1 which will be greater in         
proportion as the undulations are       
stronger at the surface4 ,this fact has 
been confirmed by experiment2 it has    
been ascertained in effect that the     
agitation of the sea caused by the wind1
 is communicated to a certain depth1    
variable according to the wind1         
according to the sea1 and the places    
where the observations were made1 and   
that beyond that depth the sea is       
perfectly calm4 ,thus it may be admitted
 as an observed and well proved fact1   
that the waves require a certain depth  
for their free developement2 if an      
obstacle is presented to this           

developement1 there will be a forcible  
re-action of the wave against this      
obstacle which will be carried off1 if  
it is moveable1 and will enter into the 
system of the wave4 ,this action of the 
waves against the deeps is what is      
called the ground swell4  ,this         
established1 it has already been seen   
that the coast of the sea1 as well as   
the projecting capes1 resign to the sea 
every year a certain amount of earthy   
and rocky matters4 ,these matters are   
removed by the waves which break upon   
the shore1 the soft portions are quickly
 disintegrated by this powerful action1 
and form muddy sand and mud1 and the    
hard portions are rounded into pebbles  
the size of which is diminished more and
 more by the prolonged action of the    
force which set them in motion and which
 reduces them to sand2 but in proportion
 as these matters arrive at a sufficient
 degree of tenuity1 they become         
susceptible of submitting to the        
transporting force of the waves and     

currents1 and quit the place where they 
were formed4  ,this transporting force  
depends both upon the height of the     
tides and the direction of the winds1 as
 well as their intensity1 combined with 
that of the currents which are observed 
in all seas4 ,so that while considerable
 masses of matter are set in motion     
along the shores1 the rivers1 especially
 those which traverse a great extent of 
country1 transport as far as their      
mouths only muddy matters1 so light that
 they are carried to a distance1 and    
afterwards deposited in the depths of   
the sea4 ,this is remarkably the case   
with the ,nile1 whose waters at the time
 of the inundation are distinguished by 
their colour for more than ten leagues  
into the sea4 ,all the deposits and     
accretions of the river up to #bj kilom4
 above its mouth are muddy1 while all   
the banks which are at its mouth are    
composed of sand alone4  ,thus1 all the 
impediments of the mouth of the ,nile   
evidently emanate from the sea4 ,to     

demonstrate it by still farther         
evidence1 we will repeat the reasoning  
of the engineer ,m4 ,bonniceau relative 
to the alluvium of the river ,mersey1 in
 his excellent work upon the navigation 
of tidal rivers3 8,if the deposits      
emanated from the elevated lands in a   
sensible degree1 the quantities         
deposited from time to time ought to be 
proportional to the quantity of rain    
that falls at the same epochs1 because  
the same amount of matters descending   
from the elevated lands and transported 
by the river1 ought to be partly        
regulated by the quantity of water that 
carries them2 but it is a fact well     
ascertained1 that the accumulations of  
sand which exist in the vicinity of the 
mouth are greater in proportion as the  
waters of the river are less abundant1  
while on the contrary at the time of the
 increase1 when the ,nile contains      
nearly #j met4 #jjh of matter in        
suspension1 the sand banks are removed  
and thrown back far off into the sea40  

,it is said that ,alexander the ,great  
was determined in his choice of the     
situation for the port of ,alexandria by
 the consideration of the winds and     
littoral currents which carry eastward  
the matters held in suspension by the   
,nile1 and thus cover the coast with    
sand4 ,if this theory were true1 no     
alluvium ought to be perceived westward 
of the mouth of the river4 ,now all the 
coast from ,tripoli as far as ,el       
,aritch is covered with sand banks1     
which frequently form downs1 and these  
downs are found at the present time     
transported several leagues into the    
interior of the lands westward of the   
,rosetta mouth4  ,the port of           
,alexandria itself has not escaped the  
action of the ground swell1 for a sand  
bank has been formed which occupies a   
good third of the total superfice of the
 roadstead4 ,happily for the port the   
accumulation of sand appears to have    
been arrested long ago1 or rather its   
increase has become imperceptible4  ,the

 roadstead of ,alexandria owes its depth
 to the disposition of its sides in     
respect to the winds and currents4 ,it  
is like the roadstead of ,algiers1 which
 is everywhere very deep1 while the     
neighbouring ports have sand banks4 ,it 
cannot be said that these sand banks are
 owing to the presence of rivers1 which 
do not exist in the whole extent of the 
coast of ,barbary1 for the few land     
streams that are scattered along the    
shore cannot be called by that name4    
,we have seen that the winds and the    
currents carry the detritus of the      
coasts reduced to sand to great         
distances4 ,the currents however do not 
arrest the motion of the waves and the  
ground swell2 they bend to their forms1 
and as their direction necessarily tends
 to the shore1 the sands clear the      
currents with the ground swell which    
contains them1 and which thus conducts  
them to the shore4 ,when the direction  
of the waves is oblique to the coast1   
the sands are borne to a distance1 but  

when it is perpendicular to the coast1  
the waves raise the sands brought by the
 ground swell into dykes and banks1     
which protect the low shores4 ,the most 
minute and lightest portions are        
accumulated at the more elevated points 
of the flats1 where1 being dried by the 
sun1 they are soon carried away by the  
wind1 which leaves them1 in its turn1 in
 the shape of downs4 ,the ground swell1 
therefore1 furnishes the materials of   
those downs1 which usually border flat  
shores1 and it is that which has drawn  
from the depths of the sea the sands of 
those immense deserts of ,africa1 and of
 so many other plains which are found in
 various parts of the globe4  8,often10 
says ,m4 ,jomard1 8have ,i remained for 
whole hours1 contemplating the origin   
and progress of the phenomenon of the   
formation of sands4 ,i saw the waves    
break and deposit a small line1 scarcely
 discernible1 of very fine sand4        
,another wave came1 burdened like the   
first1 and this new line of sand pushed 

the first slightly on4 ,this1 once      
beyond the reach of the water1 and      
exposed to the rays of a burning sun1   
was quickly dried1 and became the prey  
of the wind1 which immediately seized   
and carried it off into the air2 the    
less light particles of gravel did not  
reach so far1 but1 subjected to the     
alternate motion1 diminished more and   
more1 and were converted by degrees into
 sand40  ,we may also say with ,colonel 
,emy1 that  8,all river bars are        
deposits1 brought or arrested by the    
ground swell1 and without it these      
deposits would be repelled into the main
 as far as the rivers extend their      
course4 ,the ,delta of the ,nile1 those 
of the ,mississippi1 of the ,ganges1 of 
the ,scheld1 of the ,meuse1 of the      
,rhine1 and the ,camargue of the ,rhone1
 were originally bars formed by this    
same ground swell40  ,the tongues of    
sand which separate the lake of ,thau   
from the gulf of the ,lion1 the tongue  
of earth upon which ,alexandria is      

built1 those which separate the lakes   
,bourlos and ,menzaleh from the         
,mediterranean1 are bars of sand formed 
by the ground swell4 ,the sand bank     
which separates from the ,red ,sea the  
vast basin of the ,bitter ,lakes1 was1  
without any doubt1 a ford elevated by   
the ground swell1 which1 in tempestuous 
weather1 ascends this sea with the      
current of the tides charged with sand4 
,the ford1 which answers at the present 
time at ,suez1 was certainly formed in  
this manner by the ground swell4  ,we   
may say also1 that the whole ,isthmus of
 ,suez was formed by the maritime       
deposits of the ,mediterranean and of   
the ,red ,sea4 ,we believe that1        
previous to historic times1 the two     
,seas were in communication with each   
other1 that the detritus of the chains  
of mountains situated to the right and  
left1 carried down by rain1 filled up   
the space which separates them1 and that
 when that space was elevated to such a 
height that the ground swell could reach

 it1 its action was applied in such a   
way that by the meeting of the swell of 
the two ,seas1 a bank was formed1 which 
is no other than the bar of ,el ,guisr4 
,after the formation of this bank1 the  
combined action of the ground swell1    
both on one side and the other1 and the 
accretions from the neighbouring        
mountains continued until the ,isthmus  
was dry4 ,then the soil thus constituted
 was covered by the downs1 which        
advanced upon it from the direction of  
,pelusium1 driven by the north winds1   
and from the direction of ,suez1 driven 
by the winds and currents from the      
south4  ,in this state the ,isthmus is  
at present1 and the numerous soundings  
which we have asked for from ,his       
,highness the ,viceroy1 will prove      
whether our hypothesis is well founded  
or not4  ,the same theory may1 as       
,colonel ,emy observes in his remarkable
 work1 throw a new light on important   
geological facts3--  8,for instance1    
those ancient and elevated plains1      

composed of sand and pebbles1 the       
formation of which1 it has been         
attempted to explain1 by the revolutions
 of the globe and violent convulsions of
 nature1 or which have been regarded as 
deposits left by rivers1 appear to be   
maritime accretions4 ,if is1 indeed1    
easy to conceive rivers capable of      
bringing down the fragments detached    
from mountains1 by shocks1 and by the   
decomposition of the rocks2 but how     
could they extend those fragments       
uniformly1 and over spaces so extensive 
as the plains in question8 ,moreover1   
was not the course from the summits of  
the mountains generally too short for   
the fragments of the excessively hard   
rock found in some of those plains1 to  
have time to acquire their roundness8   
,the rivers have prolonged their courses
 through these accumulations of pebbles2
 they may1 in overflowing1 have covered 
them with sand and earth1 but it is more
 probable that they contributed in      
nowise to the formation of these        

accretions1 unless it were by           
transporting the rough materials to the 
sea4 ,nothing but the ground swell could
 spread these fragments of mountains so 
uniformly as they are1 convert them into
 shingle and sand by a long trituration 
on the shores1 where it had driven them2
 gather them either into banks or       
plains1 and thus fill up spaces over    
which the sea formerly extended4  8,the 
ancient collections of shingle1 pebbles 
and sand are owing1 like those at       
present forming in a similar manner1 to 
maritime accretions1 and must henceforth
 be regarded as an incontestable proof  
that the ocean formerly reached and was 
long stationary at different heights far
 exceeding its present level40  ,it is  
not surprising1 then1 to find on divers 
points of the ,isthmus pieces of hard   
stone broken into small fragments1 and  
half rounded1 covering the sand-banks at
 variable heights above the level of the
 ,mediterranean4  ,but1 be it as it may1
 it is certain that throughout the      

length of the line1 from the roadstead  
of ,suez to that of ,pelusium1 the      
excavations will only be in light earth1
 which can be easily removed by hand as 
far as the water line1 and with dredges 
down to the bed of the ,canal4  ,the    
track which we have followed for the    
,canal was prescribed by the very nature
 of the locality1 and by the condition  
that the two ,seas were to be brought   
into direct communication in the most   
economical manner4  ,the line begins at 
the roadstead of ,suez1 turns to the    
east of the town1 making a curve to     
reach the ancient track1 which it leaves
 to the west1 and follows the channel of
 the valley until it joins the ,bitter  
,lakes1 which anciently formed the      
extremity of the gulf of the ,red ,sea4 
,it traverses those lakes throughout    
their length1 following their           
sinuosities1 so as to avoid the         
inequalities of the ground4 ,on leaving 
the lakes1 the line crosses the bar of  
the ,serapeum1 at its lowest point1 and 

enters ,lake ,timsah1 leaving the       
heights of ,cheik ,ennedek to the east4 
,the last-mentioned lake is to serve in 
the formation of an inland port1 in     
which ships may be revictualled and     
repaired1 while it will be the point of 
junction between the ,maritime ,canal   
and the ,canal communicating with the   
,nile4  ,in traversing this lake1 the   
line forms several curves1 in order to  
avoid the extensive downs which have    
encroached upon a part of that region4  
,on leaving the lake1 the line proceeds 
to the bar of ,el ,guisr1 at its lowest 
point1 and then goes towards ,lake      
,menzaleh1 which it follows directly    
along its eastern shore as far as       
,pelusium1 and is prolonged into the sea
 until it reaches a depth of #g m41 #ej4
  ,the dimensions of the ,canal have    
been determined by the idea of creating 
a grand passage for maritime navigation1
 open to steam and sailing vessels of   
considerable burthen4 ,the ,caledonian  
,canal is the only known analogous work4

 ,this ,canal1 however1 is but #cg m4   
broad at the water line1 and but #f m41 
#aj deep4 ,the locks1 to the number of  
#bc1 have been enlarged so as to admit  
forty-four gun frigates2 they are #eb   
m41 #dj in length between the gates1 #ac
 met4 in breadth1 and have a depth of   
water of #f m41 #aj4  ,for cutting      
through the ,isthmus of ,panama by a    
maritime canal1 as projected by ,mr4    
,garella1 it was proposed that the width
 of the canal1 at the water line1 should
 be #dd met41 and the depth of water #g 
met4  ,prince ,louis ,napoleon1 who1 in 
#ahdf1 published a remarkable work1     
inserted in the ,revue ,britannique1    
under the title of ,canal de ,nicaragua1
 adopted the same dimensions as ,mr4    
,garella1 in the project which he       
proposed to execute for establishing the
 communication between the ,atlantic and
 ,pacific ,oceans4  ,we have assumed on 
considerations hereinafter to be        
explained1 that paddle and screw        
frigates as well as vessels of #ajjj to 

#aejj tons1 ought to be able to traverse
 the ,canal in order to satisfy to the  
fullest extent the demands of           
navigation4 ,we have therefore fixed the
 width of the ,canal at the water line  
at #ajj met42 its minimum draught of    
water at #f m41 #ej1 below low water in 
the ,mediterranean4 ,the locks1 two in  
number1 are to be #ajj met4 long1 #ba   
met4 wide1 with a minimum depth of water
 of #f m41 #ej4 ,these works will be    
established at the two extremities of   
the ,canal1 immediately before the dykes
 forming the channel which on each side 
unites the ,canal with the two ,seas4   
,these two locks will form part of a    
sluiced barrage1 and thus convert the   
whole ,canal into one immense dam1      
receiving the waters of the ,red ,sea   
during the highest tides1 and storing   
them up successively in order to raise  
the level and create a rush of water in 
each channel when necessary4 ,the       
highest tides of the ,red ,sea being    
from #b met4 to #b m41 #ej above low    

water in the ,mediterranean1 a depth of 
#i met4 of water will be obtained in the
 canal at certain times1 but a mean     
super elevation of #a m4 may be depended
 on1 which will usually give a minimum  
depth of #g m41 #ej to #h met4 ,under   
these conditions1 screw steamers will be
 enabled to pass easily along the ,canal
 without the presence of its bed        
re-acting in an inconvenient manner on  
the motion of their screws4 ,we have1   
however1 calculated the earth-works for 
three different depths of water1 viz4 #f
 met42 #f m41 #ej2 and #g met4 below low
 water in the ,mediterranean4 ,if the   
,company should require a depth of #h   
met41 it would be easy to obtain it by  
means of dredges1 without stopping the  
navigation on the ,canal4  ,the length  
of each barrage1 including the lock1 is 
#ajj met42 and in order farther to      
facilitate the entrance of the rising   
tide into the ,canal1 a third barrage   
has been added at ,suez on the site of  
the existing channel4 ,this last work   

will be separated from the first by a   
platform raised above the level of high 
water1 so that the two together will    
unite the road from ,cairo passing by   
,suez to ,mecca4 ,its length has also   
been fixed at #ajj met4  ,for reasons of
 economy the width of the ,canal has    
been reduced to #fe met4 wherever the   
height of the ground reaches #f met4    
,to prevent the degradation of the banks
 of the ,canal1 the slope has been fixed
 at two on the base to one in height1   
and it is proposed to have a causeway #b
 met4 broad to receive1 #ast4 ,a        
covering of the broken stones found     
along the ,canal1 #bnd4 ,any earth      
falling from the higher grounds1 which  
would otherwise encumber the bed of the 
,canal4 ,this is only an imitation of   
what has proved so successful on the    
,caledonian ,canal4  ,the width of the  
towing path has been fixed at #d met41  
which is quite sufficient for a maritime
 canal where steam towing will be so    
much in use4  ,lake ,timsah1 situated   

nearly midway between the two ,seas1 at 
the entrance of the ,wady ,tomilat1 will
 form1 as we have said1 an inland port1 
to which both the outward and inward    
navigation will tend4 ,on its shores    
will be established magazines1 stables1 
workshops for repairs1 as well as #aejj 
metres of quay walls for mooring vessels
 and embarking merchandize4 ,for1 as the
 illustrious author of the work on the  
canal of ,nicaragua well expresses it1  
the proposed ,canal must not be a mere  
cutting destined solely to form a       
passage from one sea to the other for   
the produce of ,europe1 but it must make
 ,egypt a prosperous state by enabling  
her to dispose of her interior produce1 
and a powerful one by the extent of her 
commerce4  ,as for the two entrances1   
whether from the ,red ,sea or the       
,mediterranean1 all that is necessary   
is1 that ships shall be able to approach
 at all seasons1 and find certain and   
effectual shelter in bad weather4 ,now  
the roadstead of ,suez is sheltered from

 every wind except the south-east4 ,it  
will therefore be sufficient to prolong 
the eastern jetty to a certain distance 
beyond the western to render the shelter
 complete4  ,all the vessels which now  
take their stations in the roadstead    
ride out the bad weather very well1 and 
the magazine corvette belonging to the  
,english ,company which has been        
anchored there for the last two years   
and a half has suffered no damage4      
,thus1 at the ,suez extremity1 it will  
be sufficient to establish two jetties1 
forming the entrance channel from the   
,red ,sea1 and to prolong them          
sufficiently far into the roadstead to  
reach the required depth of water1 in   
order that vessels entering may have a  
draught of #g m41 #ej to #h met4 at low 
water4 ,the eastern jetty must be #aej  
met4 longer than the western for the    
reasons we have just given4  ,at        
,pelusium1 the two jetties1 in order to 
reach the depth of #g m41 #ej to #h met4
 must be at least #fjjj met4 in length2 

but if it should be feared that the     
channel thus formed would not be        
sufficiently safe for the approach of   
vessels1 and in order to meet           
objections1 the real value of which have
 yet to be tested1 we have projected a  
sheltered roadstead in front of these   
jetties by means of a grand mole from   
#dej to #ejj met4 in length1 placed in  
such a manner as to afford shelter to   
vessels in bad weather1 and to enable   
them to enter the channel at their      
convenience4  ,at all events no one can 
doubt that the ,canal would be really   
and practically navigable for all       
vessels willing to avail themselves of  
the passage4 ,but it will be asked      
whether jetties extending #fjjj met4    
into the sea do not present great       
difficulties2 whether a trench of #fe   
met4 in width1 dug #af m41 #ej deep1 a  
part of which is under water1 is not an 
impossibility2 and whether1 supposing   
the engineering difficulties to be      
surmounted1 the results obtained would  

be in proportion to the expenses        
incurred4 ,doubts have also been started
 on the navigation of the ,red ,sea2    
finally1 several authors have put the   
question1 without however solving it1   
whether1 even if the ,canal were once   
established1 commerce would not prefer  
the old way by the ,cape as the safest  
and most advantageous4  ,these questions
 we are about to examine3 these doubts  
we shall endeavour to clear up4  ,the   
,gulf of ,pelusium is said to be        
constantly filled with sand or mud      
brought down by the ,damietta branch of 
the ,nile1 and it is objected that the  
advanced works to be established on that
 part of the shore would only have the  
effect of increasing the accumulations4 
,we admit that this portion of the      
,egyptian shore has been formed by      
maritime alluvium brought by the ground 
swell1 as we have already proved at the 
commencement of our memorial4 ,we also  
admit1 that the object of the dykes     
forming the entrance channel to the     

,canal1 would be to stop the sand thus  
brought by the waves1 and to accumulate 
it against the dyke opposed to the      
prevailing wind1 namely1 against the    
western dyke4  ,but most of the ports   
already in existence are open to the    
same objections2 and if they were       
sufficient to prevent the construction  
of a port1 we may safely say that very  
few of those we are at present          
acquainted with would ever have been    
formed4  ,according to our idea the     
essential question is1 to know whether1 
when once the port is established1 it   
can be maintained without too great an  
expense4  ,now it appears1 that for many
 ages the sands have ceased to extend   
the ,pelusiac shore1 as is manifest from
 the well ascertained position of       
,pelusium1 the ruins of which still     
remain4 ,strabo1 in his ,itinerary1 says
 that ,pelusium is situated at the      
distance of twenty stadia from the sea4 
,the ,french engineers of the expedition
 have verified this distance1 by        

measuring #afjj toises1 or #cjjj met4   
from its remains to the shore4  ,in     
#ahdg1 the distance between these two   
points had not varied1 as it is marked  
on the plan with the figure #cjjj met41 
and at the present day it is still the  
same4  ,in fact1 by reading all the     
accounts of ancient authors1 and        
comparing them with what actually       
exists1 we arrive at the conclusion that
 the shores of the ,delta have varied   
very little in historic times4  ,the sea
 sands then have long ceased to         
accumulate1 and the fact may be         
explained by assuming that the          
destruction of the coasts of ,morocco1  
,algeria1 ,candia1 and other            
parts1--which destruction1 we repeat1   
alone furnishes the materials of        
maritime alluvium1 --has abated from    
some cause or other4 ,it may also be    
assumed1 that the sands which were      
formerly driven by winds and currents   
into the ,gulf of ,pelusium1 are now    
cast on the ,african coast between      

,tripoli and ,alexandria1 and driven    
inland in the shape of downs4 ,the fact 
is1 that no new downs are now seen      
forming in the ,isthmus2 those on the   
seashore being of ancient formation1 and
 nearly all naturally fixed by          
vegetation4 ,in conclusion1 the         
extension of the ,pelusiac shore1 if    
such extension there be1 is too         
insignificant to be taken into          
consideration4  ,now1 the direction of  
the jetties being nearly perpendicular  
to the shore1 in order to be at right   
angles with the prevailing wind from ,w4
 ,n4 ,w41 the sand1 when the wind is    
perpendicular to the shore1 will be     
driven on to the coast and increase its 
height1 as hitherto1 no change being    
occasioned by the jetties4 ,during the  
parallel winds1 which mostly prevail1   
the littoral current1 finding an        
obstacle in the jetties1 will form an   
eddy to windward1 which will increase   
the force of the current between the    
points of the jetties and the mole1 so  

that the sand will be carried far away2 
and the probability is1 that the bottom 
will become deeper4  ,it is only the    
oblique winds then1 that will carry the 
sand into the angles formed by the shore
 and the windward jetty4  ,in calm      
weather1 the sea-current which flows    
along the coast from west to east has   
not sufficient force to affect the      
equilibrium of the beach4 ,thus1 to sum 
the matter up1 the most that can be     
feared is the accumulation of a small   
quantity of the loose sand in the ,gulf 
at the angle of the windward jetty4     
,supposing that even #aj1jjj cubic      
metres per ann4 should be so deposited1 
which1 according to what we have said1  
is an exaggeration1 it would take #ajj  
years to advance the beach #djj metres1 
and such an advance would produce no    
perceptible effect at the extremities of
 the jetties4  ,it may be objected1 that
 by all these movements of the sands1   
some portion will necessarily find its  
way into the channel1 and thus1 by      

degrees1 end in obstructing it4 ,to     
obviate this inconvenience we have at   
our disposal dredging machines1 and the 
most powerful means of clearance derived
 from a mass of #gjj1jjj1jjj cubic      
metres of water1 which can be stored up1
 above the level of low water in the two
 ,seas1 throughout the whole extent of  
the ,canal1 and in the immense reservoir
 of the ,bitter ,lakes4  ,but are       
jetties extending #fjjj metres into the 
sea possible8 and if possible1 would    
they not require so much time and such  
an expenditure of money as1 practically1
 to cause the undertaking to be given   
up8  ,with regard to the possibility1   
there can be no doubt1 for more than a  
century ago the ,dutch ,government      
constructed a jetty #hjjj met4 in length
 in the ,bay of the ,lion1 near the     
,cape1 in water more than sixteen met4  
deep1 in spite of the continued         
tempestuous weather which succeeds the  
settled calms in those latitudes4 ,such 
a work1 considering the depth of water1 

must have required a quantity of        
materials at least four times as great  
as that required for the two jetties and
 the mole at ,pelusium4 ,it was         
undertaken by a nation not over rich1 at
 a time when steam was unknown1 and     
before the invention of machinery1 which
 saves so much time1 expense and labour4
 ,there can be no doubt then1 that if   
the cutting of the ,isthmus is admitted 
to be advantageous1 it will be easy to  
overcome all difficulties4  ,with regard
 to the method of constructing these    
works1 opinions are no less divided4    
,some engineers1 grounding their        
opinions on ancient constructions1      
recommend that the moles should be      
formed of immense blocks of stone of    
thirty to forty cubic metres4 ,others   
are of opinion that the only means of   
preserving the roads from the           
accumulation of sand1 is to construct   
the moles and dykes of open masonry4    
,there are also some in favour of walls 
in hydraulic masonry with vertical      

facings4 ,but1 our own opinion is1 that 
in so important an enterprise1 every    
theoretical hypothesis should be        
discarded1 and that we ought to be      
guided solely by the experience we have 
acquired in works of an analogous       
character already executed4 ,and this is
 what we have done in adopting the      
system of loose stones1 as it has been  
carried out with success3 #a4 ,for the  
dyke at ,cherbourg which is #cgfh met4  
long in a depth of water of #ad m41 #hj2
 #b4 ,for the jetty at ,plymouth which  
is #acfd met4 long in a depth of #aa    
met4 and more2 #c4 ,for the dyke in the 
,bay of ,delaware #abjj met4 long1 with 
a depth of #ad met42 #d4 ,for that of   
the ,bay of the ,lion #hjjj met4 long1  
in depths of more than #af met4         
,objections to this system may1 indeed1 
be raised on account of the damage      
sustained at ,cherbourg and ,plymouth as
 well as at ,algiers1 before the        
introduction of factitious blocks1 but  
it is necessary to observe1 that both at

 ,cherbourg and ,plymouth1 the tidal    
current is exceedingly strong1 its      
velocity being as much as #d met4 per   
second2 that the sea at these points is 
very rough1 and that there is reason to 
suppose that the damage would not have  
occurred had the blocks been rather     
larger1 and the interstices well filled 
up4 ,with regard to the roadstead at    
,algiers1 it is1 as is well known1      
constantly beaten over by heavy seas1 no
 other point in the ,mediterranean      
presenting such difficult conditions4   
,we have in favour of our system most of
 the moles erected in the various ports 
of the ,mediterranean1 ,genoa1 ,cannes1 
,barcelona1 ,valencia1 ,cadiz1 c4 c41   
all of which are constructed of natural 
blocks1 the largest not exceeding #b m41
 #ej cube1 and which are nevertheless   
established at considerable depths of   
water4 ,finally1 we have on our side the
 opinions of the most distinguished     
,english engineers2 opinions which have 
prevailed in ,parliament1 and in        

accordance with which1 all the moles in 
the harbours of refuge in course of     
construction are being made1 according  
to the system of natural blocks sunk    
into the sea1 at certain slopes4  ,the  
bottom of the beach1 descending by a    
very gentle inclination1 will1 moreover1
 have the effect of abating the waves1  
and diminishing their action against the
 jetties4 ,this is a well ascertained   
fact1 and one which may1 indeed1 be     
easily conceived2 for1 supposing that   
the bottom of the sea1 from a depth     
below the limit of the motion of the    
waves1 rises by an extremely gentle     
slope1 until it meets that limit2 this  
meeting taking place at a very small    
angle1 the bottom will be almost        
insensibly substituted for the limit of 
motion4  ,at the point of this meeting  
the undulating motion is nil1 it is very
 feeble at the adjacent points1 and     
easily abated by the resistance and     
friction which the molecules experience 
against the bottom4 ,the abatement will 

thus extend vertically up to the        
surface1 and the waves will then        
gradually diminish in volume as they    
approach the shore4  ,we have1          
therefore1 adopted the system of loose  
stones for the jetties and for the mole1
 with but slight modifications suggested
 by our own experience1 modifications   
which consist in making the jetty-heads 
in hydraulic masonry to a certain       
height1 as well as the interior surface 
of the windward jetty1 which is to serve
 for the towing of vessels4  ,what we   
have said of the gulf of ,pelusium we   
may repeat1 still more forcibly1 with   
regard to the roadstead of ,suez4 ,the  
sands have long ceased to accumulate in 
any perceptible manner4 ,and if maritime
 alluvium is still brought up by the    
ground swell and the current1 it is     
driven by the west and south-west winds 
on to the eastern shore1 without        
reaching the extremity of the gulf4 ,in 
fact1 the plan of the roadstead was     
taken in #agii1 and the soundings of the

 channel are marked1 as well as the     
shape of the sandbank1 which forms a    
kind of bar at its extremity towards the
 roadstead4 ,in #ahdg1 the plan was     
taken again with the same soundings1 and
 it is impossible to find the least     
difference between the two results1     
which also agree with those given by    
,commander ,moresby1 in his excellent   
chart of the ,red ,sea4  ,there is1     
then1 nothing to fear on that side1     
either from the sand or the violence of 
the sea4 ,the jetties will be of the    
simplest construction1 and as the       
materials are1 as it were1 at hand1     
their erection will present no          
difficulty4  ,with regard to the        
excavation of the ,canal to a depth of  
#f m41 #ej below low water in the       
,mediterranean1 in a very porous soil1  
the task1 at first sight1 presents what 
appear to be considerable difficulties4 
,we cannot1 indeed1 hope to accomplish  
the whole of the excavation in the dry1 
or by pumping1 on account of the nature 

of the ground4 ,it will be necessary1   
then1 for all that portion below water1 
to have recourse to dredging2 and1 as   
the quantity of earth to be removed by  
this means is #eg1bje1cdb cubic metres1 
at first sight it is difficult to       
conceive how the work is to be          
accomplished4 ,but1 upon examining the  
matter more closely1 nothing is found to
 frighten the most timorous4 ,in fact1 a
 single steam dredging machine1 of      
twenty horse power1 such as those which 
have been employed on the ,nile1 working
 night and day1 can1 in twenty-four     
hours1 raise #ajjj cubic metres of sand1
 from a depth of seven metres4          
,according to this calculation1 and     
supposing the year to consist of only   
#bgj working days1 it would take forty  
dredging machines five years to complete
 the labour2 but if1 instead of such    
small machines1 dredges of thirty to    
thirty-five horse power were adopted1 it
 would be easy to raise #aejj cubic     
metres per diem1 and the dredging would 

be more economical4  ,the quantity of   
earth to be raised by manual labour     
amounts to #ag1dgc1gij cubic metres1 and
 the deepest cutting does not exceed #aj
 metres above the water4 ,this is a     
small matter when compared with the     
earth-works performed in many canal and 
railway undertakings1 and even with     
those accomplished before the present   
century2 such1 for example1 as the one  
mentioned by ,michel ,chevalier1 in his 
investigations concerning the maritime  
canal of the ,isthmus of ,panama        
7,recherches sur la ,canalisation       
maritime de l',isthme de ,panama74  8,it
 required10 says he1 8the treasure which
 the ,viceroys of ,mexico had at their  
disposal to undertake the cutting at    
,huehuetoca1 the total length of which  
is #bi1ehe met41 with a depth of from   
#de to #fj met41 for a length of #hjj   
met41 and from #cj to #ej met4 for #cejj
 met4 ,the expense was #ca1jjj1jjj40    
,farther on1 he adds3--  8,nowadays1    
however1 in a case of necessity1 by     

displaying the improved appliances at   
the command of engineering art1 it would
 be possible to effect cuttings of great
 depth1 and to remove large quantities  
of earth at no extraordinary expense4   
,on the ,arles canal1 at ,bouc1 for     
instance1 the plateau of the ,lecque was
 cut through by a trench #bajj met4 in  
length1 by #dj to #ej met4 in depth1 at 
the culminating point4 ,the expense was 
under #d1jjj1jjj1 and yet the cutting   
was performed by the old method4 ,in    
cuttings of magnitude1 the soil is now  
broken by instruments of enormous power1
 and the earth is removed by means of   
railways and locomotives4 ,all that has 
to be done by manual labour is to       
collect the loose earth and load the    
waggons4 ,for so important an object as 
the uniting of two seas1 even the       
impossible might be attempted40         
,supposing each labourer to do #a m41   
#ej1 on an average1 per diem1 it would  
only require #hjjj labourers for five   
years to complete the earth-works2 and  

not a year passes without a levy of     
between #cj and #dj1jjj men being       
commanded by the ,viceroy1 in several   
provinces at once1 for the service of   
the canals alone4  ,as soon as the      
project of a ship canal across the      
,isthmus of ,suez is ascertained to be  
useful and advantageous1 no difficulties
 of execution1 however great they may be
 7and we have proved them trifling71    
will be considered obstacles to its     
being carried out4  ,it would appear at 
first sight superfluous to demonstrate  
the utility of such an undertaking1 for 
what especially strikes the imagination1
 is the magnitude of the results        
promised by the ,canal1 and the         
reiterated efforts made at several      
epochs1 even in times of ignorance1 to  
open this communication between the two 
,seas4  ,but since the publication of   
,m4 ,lepre's memorial1 so many          
objections have been brought forward and
 so many doubts raised1 that public     
opinion is undecided1 and it becomes    

necessary to re-establish the question  
in all its integrity4 ,we will therefore
 examine the principal objections raised
 against the direct communication       
between the two ,seas4  ,it has been    
said that the navigation of the ,red    
,sea is so dangerous1 and that the      
monsoons cause such delays1 that even if
 the ,canal were established and freely 
traversed by ships1 commerce would not  
follow that route1 which would in fact1 
from these peculiar circumstances1 be   
the longest and most perilous4  ,in the 
first place1 there can be no question   
here about steam navigation1 the circle 
of which extends daily more and more1   
for the projected ,canal will be the    
triumph of steam2 it will greatly       
increase the use of the screw1 and give 
a new stimulus to ,british navigation1  
which will be charged with the delivery 
of ,english coal throughout the whole   
line from ,london to ,australia4 ,we    
will therefore only examine the case of 
navigation by sailing vessels4 ,now1 we 

learn from history1 that from the most  
distant ages1 this navigation has       
flourished in the ,red ,sea1 and that   
after the discovery of the ,cape of     
,good ,hope 7in #adig71 the ,portuguese 
considered it necessary to have a fleet1
 which1 in #aech1 destroyed all the     
merchant vessels of the ,turks and      
,venetians4 ,if in later times commerce 
took the way of the ,cape1 we have only 
to thank the ,turkish sovereignty of the
 period1 which allowed the arts1        
sciences1 and industry to perish1 at the
 same time that it forbade the          
navigation of the ,red ,sea to the      
,european nations4 ,how can this        
navigation be considered full of danger 
at the present day1 when nautical       
science and the art of ship-building    
have made such great progress1 and when 
everything relating to the winds1 the   
currents1 and the coasts of the ,red    
,sea1 is perfectly well known8  ,to     
leave no doubt on the subject1 we will  
repeat the most important observations  

which have been made on the ,red ,sea   
and ,indian ,ocean4  ,this is what the  
,english traveller1 ,bruce1 says in     
#agfi3--  8,those who are at all        
acquainted with the history of ,egypt1  
are aware that the north wind1 there    
called the ,etesian wind1 prevails      
during the six hottest months of the    
year4 ,the two chains of mountains1     
which confine ,egypt to the east and    
west1 compel this wind to follow        
precisely this northerly direction4 ,it 
is reasonable to suppose that it would  
be the same for the ,arabian ,gulf1 if  
the course of that narrow sea were      
parallel to the land of ,egypt4 ,but the
 ,red ,sea extends nearly from          
north-west to south-east1 from ,suez to 
,mocha2 there it alters its course1 and 
proceeds nearly from east to west1 as   
far as its junction with the ,indian    
,ocean at the straits of                
,bab-el-,mandeb4  8,thus the ,etesian   
wind1 which is due north in ,egypt1     
follows the course of the gulf1 and     

blows with force in that direction all  
the summer2 that is to say1 that from   
the month of ,april till the month of   
,october1 the north-east wind prevails  
over the whole extent of the ,red ,sea1 
descending as far as the straits2 and   
that from ,november to ,march1 the wind 
has quite a contrary direction1 and     
ascends the gulf from the straits of    
,bab-el-,mandeb1 up to the ,isthmus of  
,suez4  8,it is observed1 then1 that a  
vessel starting from ,suez1 in any of   
the summer months encounters a very     
violent north-west wind1 which will     
carry it direct from the gulf to ,mocha4
 ,at ,mocha the coast goes from east to 
west1 as far as the straits of          
,bab-el-,mandeb4 ,thus a vessel sailing 
from ,mocha will1 in a short space of   
time1 experience variable winds but     
mostly blowing from the west1 and these 
winds will soon carry it to the straits4
 ,it therefore no longer wants the      
monsoon of the gulf1 which blew from the
 north2 and when it has passed into the 

,indian ,ocean1 it meets with another   
monsoon blowing in an opposite          
direction1 during the six summer months1
 to the one which had favoured its      
progress in the ,red ,sea4 ,this monsoon
 is no less favourable2 it blows from   
the south-west1 and carries the ship    
full sail1 without delay or obstacle1   
into any required port of ,india4       
8,returning1 the same advantages may be 
secured by setting sail during the      
winter months with the monsoon peculiar 
to that sea1 which then blows from the  
north-east1 and will carry the ship to  
the straits of ,bab-el-,mandeb4 ,when   
the straits are passed it will meet with
 a south-east wind in the gulf1 exactly 
contrary to the one in the ocean1 but   
the course of the ship is also contrary1
 and this south-east wind1 following the
 direction of the gulf1 will bring it to
 ,suez4 ,all this is clear1 simple1 and 
easily understood1 and thus it is1 that 
in the earliest ages the commerce of    
,india was carried on without any       

difficulty4  8,thus the philosophy1 the 
observation and the indefatigable       
perseverance of man1 who endeavours to  
carry out every project which his       
interest suggests1 triumphing over      
difficulties1 have taught the navigators
 of the ,arabian ,gulf1 that those      
periodical winds which they had1 at     
first1 regarded as insuperable obstacles
 to the trade of the ,indian ,ocean1    
are1 when understood1 the safest and the
 quickest means of performing the       
voyage40  ,mr4 ,rooke1 an ,english      
officer1 speaks in these terms1 of the  
navigation of the ,red ,sea in a letter 
dated ,april #be1 #aghb4  8,the         
construction and management of the      
vessels are equally singular1 and ,i    
fear any description will fall          
infinitely short of the original2 they  
were1 ,i believe1 designed by those who 
built them1 to bear some resemblance to 
ships1 but1 having few of the properties
 of those machines1 proceed on a        
principle totally different from any ,i 

before beheld2 that primum mobile to    
which ships of other countries are      
indebted for their voyages is here of   
little use1 and calms are more          
favourable than wind to forward their   
progress2 444 they 444 seem equally     
averse to a fair as to a contrary wind1 
remaining at anchor until it subsides   
into a calm1 their busy scene then      
commences1 the anchor is weighed and the
 vessel put in motion by means of the   
boat with about twenty oars in it1      
towing till a breeze springs up2 when   
this begins to be more than what our    
seamen call a light air1 they hurry to  
the shore and let go their anchor1 and  
for this purpose always choose a berth  
the most environed by rocks and shoals1 
never thinking themselves secure but    
when in the midst of danger2 their      
common time of anchoring was about two  
o'clock in the afternoon1 for about that
 time the breeze generally freshened1   
and in proportion as that increases they
 put out anchors1 till they have six in 

the water1 and two or three hawsers     
besides1 to tie them to the surrounding 
rocks3 444 in what they called good     
weather1 we had not above two anchors   
out1 and if it fell calm after sunset   
they ventured to get one of them up1    
that they might be ready for the land   
breeze in the morning1 which generally  
sprung up at two o'clock and blew till  
nine or ten4444 ,i believe1 without     
these land breezes we should never have 
arrived at ,suez2 a circumstance that   
very frequently happens to many vessels 
of this annual fleet1 for if they do not
 make good their passage before the     
latter end of ,may1 the northerly winds 
blow so constantly as to render it      
impossible1 for vessels that cannot work
 to windward1 to get up the narrow      
channel from ,tor to ,suez4  8,when it  
is remembered that the journey from     
,london to ,madras has been performed in
 sixty-three days1 it is surprising to  
see the ,english neglect so great an    
advantage when they have the power of   

securing it40  ,vice ,admiral ,rosily1  
who navigated the ,red ,sea in #aghi1 on
 board the frigate ,venus1 and who was  
consulted by ,m4 ,lepre1 was far from   
admitting the dangers and difficulties  
of the ,red ,sea to be as great as is   
usually supposed4 ,in fact1 these       
dangers1 conjured up solely by the      
ignorance of ancient and modern         
navigators1 have been accredited by     
general opinion1 or rather by general   
mistake4 ,the frigate ,venus traversed  
the ,red ,sea in all directions without 
experiencing either damage or           
difficulty4 ,we may therefore rest      
assured1 that no merchant vessel will   
encounter any difficulties but those    
which are inseparable from all narrow   
seas2 the ,adriatic1 which is still     
narrower than the ,red ,sea1 has never  
been considered impassable4  ,the coasts
 alone of the ,red ,sea are dangerous1  
but the number of anchorages is so great
 that the sailors of the country never  
navigate at night1 but anchor every     

evening4 ,in rough weather they remain  
at anchor sometimes for a week or a     
fortnight at the same place1 without    
daring to gain the open sea or take     
advantage of any wind that would be     
favourable to an ,european ship4  ,the  
excellent work of ,commander ,moresby   
and ,captain ,rogers on the ,red ,sea1  
written by command of the ,east ,india  
,company1 to resolve the question of its
 navigation1 and in consequence of which
 the steam service of the ,red ,sea was 
established2 this excellent work1 we    
say1 if it does not represent the       
monsoons to be as regular as is stated  
by ,bruce1 does not contradict the      
generality of the facts given by that   
traveller1 as may be judged from the    
following extracts3--      ,,of ,,the   
,,winds ,,and ,,currents ,,between      
,,suez ,,and ,,geddah1 ,,by ,,captain   
,,moresby4      8,from ,suez to ,geddah1
 during the whole course of the year1   
the wind is generally north1 and blows1 
at times1 with great     violence2 but  

it abates usually at the change of the  
moon4     ,during the winter months1    
from ,december to ,april1 the south     
wind prevails1 sometimes for a few days1
 and occasionally blows     fresh1 more 
particularly in the ,sea of ,suez1 where
 it sometimes     attains the force of a
 moderate gust4 ,at this season gusts   
from     the west are not uncommon in   
the ,sea of ,suez1 and are much         
dreaded by the inhabitants in           
consequence of their violence4 ,on      
the ,arabian coast1 near ,geddah1 to the
 south and north of that     port1 the  
north and north-west winds sometimes    
blow with great     violence during the 
winter months1 and bring with them      
clouds     of dust from the land4       
8,the south wind1 which blows sometimes 
from ,october to ,may1     generally    
occasions a current of twenty or thirty 
miles a day4     ,after a gust from the 
north-west1 when there is a light       
breeze1     there is generally a current
 towards the north4 ,it is then         

better to beat along the ,arabian side  
than the ,egyptian1 as was     the      
practice of ancient navigators1 who     
considered the latter     coast more    
healthy4      8,the average length of   
the passage from ,geddah to ,cosseir    
depends so much on circumstances1 that  
it is impossible to     assign any fixed
 term for it4 ,it is1 however1 rarely   
more than     twenty or less than ten   
days4 ,with the boats of the country it 
takes from twenty-five to thirty days1  
and sometimes more40      ,,on ,,the    
,,winds ,,and ,,currents ,,of ,,the     
,,red ,,sea ,,throughout ,,the ,,year1  
,,by ,,capt4 ,,rogers4      8,from the  
beginning of ,october to the end of     
,april1 during     what we may call the 
winter months1 between the straits of   
,bab-el-,mandeb and ,gebel ,tor1 in     
about latitude #ae #cj north1     the   
wind may be said to blow continually    
from the south1 with     the exception  
of a day or two at the time of the new  
or full     moon1 when it sometimes     

blows from the north4 ,but frequently1  
for two months at a time1 there is no   
change4      8,from ,gebel ,tor to      
latitude #ai or #bj the winds are       
variable     at the same period1 and    
blow as much from the north as from the 
south4 ,one or other of these winds     
respectively prevails as you            
approach one or the other of these      
limits4      8,from #ba to #bg the north
 wind prevails during the same          
season1 but half a lunation seldom      
passes without there being     one or   
two days of south wind1 especially from 
the end of     ,november to the         
beginning of ,march4      8,from #bg to 
,suez1 the wind is1 almost constantly1  
north1 and     seldom interrupted by any
 wind from the south1 unless it be in   
the months of ,december1 ,january1 and  
,february4      8,in ,june1 ,july1      
,august1 and ,september the north wind  
prevails     without interruption1      
throughout the whole extent of the ,red 
,sea1 from ,suez to ,bab-el-,mandeb4    

,occasionally a change takes     place1 
from the land side1 principally in      
,august and ,september1     and during  
these months a fast sailer can make     
thirty-five     miles a-day1 beating    
from ,mocha to ,suez4 ,in ,december1    
,january1     and ,february1 a vessel   
will sometimes meet with a good wind    
from ,mocha to ,cosseir1 and accomplish 
the run in six or seven     days1       
whereas it is impossible to do the same 
from ,cosseir to     ,mocha except in   
summer40  ,it appears from these        
extracts that the ,red ,sea is easily   
navigable1 at all seasons1 by sailing   
vessels1 and that it is always possible 
so to arrange the periods of departure  
as to traverse it in both directions4   
,we ought also to take into account the 
inconveniences experienced in the voyage
 round the ,cape1 resulting from the    
settled calms succeeding the continued  
tempests1 the diseases which decimate   
the crews1 and the disasters which are  
so frequent on passing the equator4 ,we 

should also take into consideration     
that1 if the difficulties are greater   
during a good part of the year for      
vessels going up the ,red ,sea1 vessels 
coming down are1 for that very reason1  
sure to meet with favourable winds4  ,to
 leave no doubt on so important a       
question1 and on which depends1 in part1
 the success of the enterprise in       
contemplation1 we will give a passage   
from a paper communicated to the ,socit 
de ,gographie1 by ,count d',escayrac de 
,lauture1 the motto of which is1        
8,aperire terram gentibus40      8,if   
the minimum distances which separate the
 ports of ,europe     from those of     
,india1 on the one part by the ,cape of 
,good ,hope1     and on the other by the
 ,canal of the two ,seas1 be compared   
with     each other1 enormous           
differences in favour of the latter     
route     will be made manifest4 ,these 
differences become still greater1       
when it is recollected that1 in         
navigation1 a straight line is     far  

from being the shortest way from one    
point to another1 and     that          
navigators only reach their destination 
by successively     following a certain 
number of courses1 which form greater or
     lesser angles with each other4     
8,so that instead of steering directly  
for the ,cape of ,good     ,hope1       
mariners starting from ,europe or the   
,atlantic ports of     ,north ,america  
to go to ,india1 must make the ,canaries
 or the     ,azores2 get into the track 
of the trade winds of the northern      
hemisphere1 reach the coast of ,brazil1 
and make ,cape ,frio1 or     put in at  
,rio ,janeiro4 ,it is only then that    
they can make for     the ,cape of ,good
 ,hope1 better named1 perhaps1 ,cape    
,tempestuous4     ,they clear at length 
the ,agulhas ,bank1 reach ,bourbon or   
the     ,mauritius1 and thence proceed  
to ,india in the track of the           
monsoon4      8,vessels from the        
,mediterranean have still greater       
disadvantages to contend against4 ,it   

frequently takes them a     fortnight to
 pass the straits of ,gibraltar1 in     
consequence     of the west wind which  
prevails in those straits1 and the      
rapid current which pours the waters of 
the ocean into the     ,mediterranean4  
8,the consequence is1 that the passage  
to ,india takes at least     from five  
months to five months and a half4 ,the  
passage back     is rather more direct1 
without being to any perceptible degree 
shorter4 ,the coast of ,africa may then 
be followed more closely1     thanks to 
the trade winds of the southern         
hemisphere4 ,the place     to put in at1
 in this case1 is ,st4 ,helena4         
8,if we now examine the conditions to   
which navigation is     subjected in the
 three seas nearest to ,suez1 that is to
 say1     the ,mediterranean1 the ,red  
,sea1 and the ,gulf of ,oman1 we shall  
find that in the ,mediterranean the     
winds blow from the north     during the
 greater part of the year1 change to the
 south by     east towards the spring1  

and return to the north1 passing by     
the west and north-west4 ,the case is   
nearly the same with     regard to the  
,red ,sea1 where the north wind1 which  
is the most     frequent1 drives the    
waters in the direction of              
,bab-el-,mandeb1     so that when the   
calm succeeds1 a current is observed    
running     north4 ,this is evidently   
produced by the waters which had been   
raised in the south endeavouring to     
regain their level4 ,the     south wind 
usually succeeds the calm4      8,the   
,gulf of ,oman has two monsoons1 that   
from the north-east1     which prevails 
with more constancy in the winter1 and  
that from     the south-west1 which     
blows with force in summer4 ,the change 
from one monsoon to the other is        
effected1 there as elsewhere1     by a  
series of calms and gusts of wind4      
8,from these circumstances it would     
appear most advantageous to     sail to 
,india by the canal in summer and       
autumn1 and to return     towards the   

spring4      8,the great shortening of  
the distance between the ports of       
,europe1 and those of ,india1 is not the
 only advantage which     commerce will 
derive by frequenting the canal of the  
two ,seas4     ,in fact1 vessels will   
not only reach their destination in a   
shorter time1 but will meet on their    
route with numerous ports     to put in 
at1 and1 what is more important still1  
considerable     markets4 ,the voyager1 
after having followed the easy track of 
the ,mediterranean1 will sell a part of 
his cargo in the ,canal     of ,suez1 or
 at ,geddah2 will buy ivory at          
,massaoux1 ,souken and     ,berbera1    
which he will either exchange in ,india1
 for opium1 or     carry on to ,china to
 obtain silk or tea4      8,he will     
complete his homeward cargo with the    
colonial produce     of ,manilla1 the   
,sunda ,islands1 and ,ceylon1 with      
cotton from     ,india1 or ,egypt1 with 
coffee from ,abyssinia1 or ,yemen1 with 
gum from ,soudan or ,hedjaz1 with corn  

from ,lower ,egypt1 or with     rice    
from ,damietta4 ,and these multifarious 
operations1 which     now require years1
 will be safely and rapidly accomplished
 with     little capital and small      
ships4      8,in fact1 by reducing the  
time required for commercial            
operations we also reduce the general   
costs1 make a much     greater number of
 these operations possible in a given   
time1     and1 by that means1 give      
facilities to small traders1 by far     
the most numerous class4      8,by      
opening to navigation an easier and     
safer route1 we bring     into use ships
 of less tonnage1 and more economically 
equipped2     in one word1 we throw open
 the road to ,india to the coasting     
trade--,,we ,,democratise ,,commerce    
,,and ,,navigation40  ,to these details1
 we will add our own personal           
observations4 ,we may say that the      
navigation of the ,red ,sea is always   
easy1 from the straits to ,raz          
,mohammed1 because there are no rocks in

 the middle of the gulf1 and it being   
always possible to beat when the monsoon
 is not favourable1 and if some danger  
is to be feared at ,raz ,mohammed1 from 
whirlwinds1 currents and rocks1 they    
will disappear as soon as a good        
lighthouse is erected1 and a station of 
steam tugs established to assist vessels
 against the contrary winds4  ,sailing  
may then be said to have attained the   
limit of its advantages1 for it will    
profit by favourable winds to perform   
the transport service with economy2 and 
in those parts of the passage where     
difficulties are to be encountered1     
steam will come in aid1 by which danger 
and loss of time will be avoided4       
,another objection which has been raised
 against the direct canal is1 that being
 cut through moving downs1 it will soon 
be encumbered by them1 and that the     
expense of keeping it in order1 will    
consequently be so great1 that it will  
be necessary to abandon it1 if it ever  
be undertaken4  ,to refute this         

objection we will recapitulate the facts
 in their actual integrity4  ,from ,suez
 to the extremity of the ,bitter ,lakes1
 the soil is1 it is true1 sandy at the  
surface1 but however sandy it may be1   
the winds do not produce any            
modification in the superficial state of
 this part of the ,isthmus4  ,this is to
 be accounted for by the fine sand being
 kept moist by the sea water1 which     
reaches the surface by percolation and  
capillary attraction2 the sand1 which is
 out of reach of the moisture1 is coarse
 sand1 or rather small gravel1 bound    
together by magnesian earth1 in such a  
manner that the wind has no effect upon 
it4 ,so true is this1 that at several   
places in this desert we found1 in      
,december1 #ahed1 the traces left by the
 tents of the engineers who were        
employed there in #ahdg4  ,the best     
proof that can be given of the stability
 of the soil in this part of the desert 
is the situation of the banks of the    
ancient canal1 which still remain all   

along1 as far as the ,bitter ,lakes4    
,the torrents of rain which sometimes   
fall in this locality1 may well1 in     
#abjj years1 have worn ravines in these 
banks1 and partly filled the canal4 ,in 
some parts even1 the banks have been    
carried away by sudden torrents1 but    
nowhere are they buried by the sand4    
,vestiges of antiquity1 two or three    
thousand years old1 may still be seen at
 the surface of the soil on the very    
line through which the canal is to pass4
 ,it is only on approaching ,lake       
,timsah that moveable downs are met     
with1 which surround and cut it in      
several places1 changing their shape    
rather than their position2 all the     
other downs which are met with in the   
form of chains of hillocks1 and which   
occupy the space comprised between the  
bar of ,el ,guisr and ,pelusium1 have   
long been naturally fixed by various    
plants1 which have sprung up there under
 the influence of heat and moisture4 ,it
 is1 then1 only the downs in the        

vicinity of ,lake ,timsah which require 
to be fixed artificially4 ,now1 the     
fixing of downs has already become a    
special branch of industry presenting   
great advantages4 ,the hills of sand    
which devastated the ,landes of         
,bordeaux1 and advanced every year into 
the interior of the country1 rendering  
it barren1 are now transformed into     
magnificent pine forests1 which yield   
turpentine1 pitch1 various kinds of     
resin and timber4  ,this change1 or     
rather this miracle1 was effected by the
 simplest means4 ,after an attentive    
examination of the facts1 ,m4           
,bremontier1 engineer-general1 to whom  
we are indebted for the fixing of the   
downs1 had observed that1 in digging at 
the summit of the most elevated downs1  
the sand was moist at a few centimetres 
from the surface4  ,struck by this      
circumstance1 he saw at once that       
vegetation would be possible1 if the    
sand could be prevented from being      
displaced by the wind4 ,he consequently 

imagined various means of obtaining this
 result1 and his efforts were crowned   
with complete success4 ,he sowed on     
several downs the seeds of the maritime 
pine1 which have now become magnificent 
forests4  ,after being assured1 by long 
experience1 of the advantages which     
might be derived from the fixing of the 
downs1 ,m4 ,bremontier addressed a      
report to the ,government of the        
,republic1 in which are found the       
following valuations3--  8,the surface  
of the downs1 which form the ,landes of 
,bordeaux10 says he1 8being equal to    
#ccg1jjj ,bordeaux journaux1 of #hdj    
square toises1 the amount required to   
fix the whole of these downs would be   
#h1jjj1jjj livres4 ,now1 a journal 7#j  
hect41 #cc7 of sand planted with pines1 
gives an annual return of fifteen       
livres1 that of #ccg1jjj journaux would 
therefore be of #e1jee1jjj livres4 ,it  
is supposed here that the ,journal      
planted with pines only yields three    
quintals of resin1 and the price may be 

taken at five francs the quintal2 but   
the plantations1 at the end of seven or 
eight years1 will produce an immense    
quantity of combustibles1 and afterwards
 charcoal1 boards1 timber for building1 
and finally tar4 ,it is true that the   
pines are not of full value until twenty
 or twenty-five years after planting2   
there will be1 however1 an interest of  
twelve and a half per cent4 as a        
deduction from all expenses40  ,much    
more simple means are employed at       
present1 to fix the downs by sowing1 for
 it is mostly considered sufficient to  
plant branches of broom1 furze1 or pine 
in quincunx upon the down to be sown and
 to scatter various seeds broadcast1 and
 cover them lightly with a rake4 ,these 
are called tufted seed plots4 ,the      
expense of a hectare is #ff fr41 #hj1   
which is made up as follows1 as appears 
from the accounts kept by the engineers 
entrusted with these works3--      #dfj 
faggots             at fr4 #b1ej per ,c4
 fr4 #aa1ej     #af ,kilos4 pine seeds  

#j1de               #g1bj     #b        
rush                 #b1ej              
#e1jj     #b           furze            
#j1be               #j1ej     #f        
hay                  #j1aj              
#j1fj     ,labour #a day1 #ij4 for a    
gang    #bb1aj              #da1ii      
-----               ,cost of #a hectare 
fr4 #ff1gi  ,the gang is composed of--  
,a ,foreman         fr4 #b1jj      fr4  
#b1jj         #f ,workmen               
#a1be             #g1ej         #ab     
,women                #j1ge             
#i1jj         #f ,children              
#j1fj             #c1fj                 
-----                      ,total per   
diem     fr4 #bb1aj  ,at the eighth year
 they begin to yield interest on the    
capital and cost of keeping up 7which is
 almost nothing71 from the combustible  
that is obtained by removing the        
surplus1 from making charcoal1 c4 c4 ,at
 twenty years they begin to extract     
resin from the trees1 at thirty years   
the produce is most abundant1 and       

continues up to eighty years1 when the  
wood is fit for building purposes4 ,then
 new seed plots are formed in proportion
 as the old trees are removed4  ,the    
annual produce of resin gathered from a 
hectare of pines is an average of five  
metric quintals1 which1 at the rate of  
twenty-two francs per quintal1 gives a  
revenue of #aaj francs1 and represents  
at least seventy per cent4 of the       
capital employed4  ,it will be seen by  
this statement1 that the fixing of the  
downs has become one of the most        
productive operations of ,silviculture1 
and that it offers one of the most      
advantageous investments for capital4   
,it was therefore necessary for us to   
know1 whether the downs which cover the 
northern part of the ,isthmus could be  
fixed by the same process4 ,now1 we have
 ascertained1 #ast4 ,that the greater   
part of these downs are naturally fixed 
by a multitude of different plants1     
which have found sufficient moisture for
 their support2 #bnd4 ,that the moveable

 downs of the basin of ,lake ,timsah    
conceal moisture at a very little depth 
below their surface2 they may1          
therefore1 be fixed by seed plots1 and  
to do it there is the immense quantity  
of bushes and shrubs which grow in the  
low parts surrounding the lake1 and     
which give to that region the appearance
 of a copse4  ,not only will sufficient 
branches be found on the spot for the   
tufted seed plots1 but moreover1 all the
 combustibles for the lime1 and for the 
wants of the workmen1 will be furnished 
abundantly4  ,it is true1 that at the   
time we made our observations 7,january1
 #ahee71 tolerably abundant rains had   
recently moistened the soil2 the success
 of the seed-plots1 which would be      
destitute of moisture for the rest of   
the year1 might therefore be doubted2   
but what is there to prevent the moist  
season being chosen for making these    
plots8 and the seed once risen1 the     
abundant moisture which is felt in this 
region1 especially during the summer    

nights1 will suffice to support         
vegetation1 as is seen by the downs     
fixed naturally4 ,finally1 to remove all
 objections1 the fresh water canal which
 will end at ,lake ,timsah1 will supply1
 if required1 the means of affording1   
during the early days of the seed-plots1
 sufficient moisture for the success of 
the undertaking4  ,there is no possible 
doubt then as to the success which will 
be obtained in the fixing of the        
moveable downs1 nor as to the pecuniary 
advantages which result from it1 for the
 maritime pine answers well in ,egypt1  
and other kinds of trees may be found   
still more productive4 ,the cost of     
sowing will be less than in ,france1 on 
account of the low price of labour1 and 
the profits will be more considerable   
and more quickly obtained1 on account of
 the hotter climate1 and the consumption
 on the spot of all produce now wanting1
 and which is obliged to be procured    
from a distance4  ,we estimate the      
superfice of the downs to be fixed in   

this part of the ,isthmus at about #bjjj
 hectares1 but if seed-plots and        
replantations were made upon all the    
downs naturally fixed1 #ajj1jjj hectares
 of forest might thus be formed4 ,it is 
for the ,company to decide what extent  
of country it will be suitable to       
cultivate in this way4 ,a final         
objection has been made to the ,canal by
 assuming that steam navigation1 by the 
agitation of the water which it         
produces1 would quickly destroy the     
banks of the ,canal1--banks formed in a 
moveable soil which would fill up the   
trough4  ,to guard against this         
inconvenience1 which might1 in fact1 be 
apprehended1 we have adopted very gentle
 slopes 7two on the base line to one in 
height72 then we have covered these     
slopes with stones for the whole height 
on which the agitation caused by the    
passage of steam-vessels could be felt4 
,we have in our favour the example of   
the ,caledonian ,canal1 thus furnished  
with a covering of stones formed of     

simple materials4 ,this is what ,m4     
,flachat says1 in the description that  
he gives of this ,canal1 according to   
the reports of the ,commissioners of the
 ,house of ,commons3 8,steam navigation 
especially demands attention4           
,difficult1 perhaps even impossible1    
upon ordinary canals1 where it causes an
 agitation which rapidly destroys the   
banks1 it is organized on the           
,caledonian ,canal1 and presents nothing
 but advantages4 ,with a speed of       
#aa1jjj to #ab1jjj met4 per hour1 all   
that has been observed is a general     
plashing1 which is not more than that   
produced by a moderately gentle wind4   
,the only precaution taken was1 to      
collect on the banks and made ground all
 the large pebbles with which the land  
is filled1 and to cover with them for a 
foot in height below the line of the    
water1 the banks which1 from the coarse 
composition of the soil1 were too easily
 disturbed by the agitation of the      
waves4 ,but wherever the ground had a   

good proportion of sand1 there was      
nothing to be done40 ,finally1 it has   
been assumed1 that the ,government of   
,great ,britain1 yielding to a national 
prejudice1 would put obstacles in the   
way of the project of cutting through   
the ,isthmus1 if it should be           
ascertained to be feasible1 and that the
 ,english capitalists would not be      
disposed to concur in the undertaking4  
,the future alone can show what truth   
there is in this assumption2 we cannot  
at all conceive the opposition of the   
,government of a great nation to a      
project to which the ,english have      
especially1 in these latter times1 drawn
 the attention of the commercial world  
and their own ,government on account of 
the special advantages which it offers  
to ,england4 ,we have already referred  
to the writings of the traveller ,bruce 
and those of ,captain ,rooke4 ,we will  
now cite other names4  ,captain ,james  
,vetch1 of the corps of ,royal          
,engineers1 author of a very remarkable 

pamphlet published in ,london in #ahdc1 
and ,mr4 ,clarkson1 ,civil ,engineer1   
propose to trace the ,canal in a single 
straight line from ,suez to ,tineh4     
,the editor of the ,engineers' and      
,architects' journal 7#ahdd7 in giving  
an account of the labours of these      
engineers1 adopts in starting from      
,suez1 the line of the ancient canal as 
far as the ,bitter ,lakes1 and from the 
head of these lakes at ,katieh he takes 
the direction of the ,mediterranean in  
passing by the great lake ,sulak el     
,bardoil4  ,the author adds1 8,it is    
hardly reasonable to reckon upon a union
 of the ,european powers to effect an   
undertaking in which ,england has such a
 preponderating interest1 in the point  
of view of our domination in ,india4 ,it
 is true that all the ,nations bordering
 on the ,mediterranean would find large 
profit therein1 but much inferior       
however to ours40  ,the ,foreign        
,quarterly ,review1 one of the most     
esteemed periodicals of ,england1 in an 

article where it treats of the cutting  
of the ,isthmus1 says that--8the expense
 compared with the grandeur of the      
result is so trivial1 that it is        
astonishing that the thing has not yet  
been done1 either by a company or by the
 ,viceroy4 ,the advantages of this      
undertaking would be immense2 for1      
independently of the great commerce     
which would be done there1 independently
 of the opening of ,abyssinia and of the
 interior of ,africa to the arts and    
civilization1 the ,red ,sea abounds in  
natural riches1 and the fishermen of the
 ,mediterranean would transport         
themselves thither in crowds in pursuit 
of pearls1 mother-of-pearl1             
tortoise-shell1 sponges 7the finest in  
the world71 coral1 fish oils1 c4 c40    
,mr4 ,anderson in his pamphlet already  
quoted1 says3 8,in a political point of 
view1 the advantages which the ,english 
,government will derive from the ,canal 
are almost incalculable4 ,from ,malta   
troops could be transported to ,bombay  

in three weeks1 to ,ceylon and ,madras  
in four weeks1 and to ,calcutta in      
thirty-five days at most1 instead of the
 four or five months now required by a  
sailing vessel4 ,under such             
circumstances it would require scarcely 
half the number of ,english troops for  
the efficient government of ,india4 ,the
 facility for despatching ships of war  
with munitions and men would thus       
increase the stability of the ,british  
power1 while the cost would be          
considerably diminished40  8,in a       
commercial point of view1 the advantages
 would be still more considerable3      
,british ,india contains a population of
 #aej1jjj1jjj1 including1 with the      
subjects of the ,british ,crown1 its    
allies and tributaries4 ,china does not 
contain less than #cej1jjj1jjj of       
inhabitants3 to say nothing of the other
 rich and populous countries of the     
,east4 ,let us suppose that in          
consequence of the progress and         
developement of commerce1 each ,indian  

and ,chinese should augment his outlay  
in the purchase of ,english produce by  
one shilling2 this modification alone1  
insignificant as it appears1 would      
augment the amount of exports by        
#be1jjj1jjj4 ,now is it not evident that
 the opening of the ,maritime ,canal    
will greatly facilitate commercial      
relations1 and tend to lower the price  
of all merchandize8 the #ejj1jjj1jjj of 
human beings peopling ,india and ,china 
are still sunk in ignorance and         
superstition4 ,with steam navigation1   
which will be developed beyond all      
conception by the opening of the ,canal1
 these people1 brought into daily       
communication with ,european ideas1 will
 enter by degrees into the current of   
science and civilization40  ,we will    
terminate these quotations by an extract
 from a very remarkable work published  
in the 8,papers for the ,people10       
inserted in the ,revue ,britannique 7for
 #aheb71 and in which the cutting       
through the ,isthmus is regarded as a   

practical solution of the maintenance of
 the ,british power in ,india4 ,we read 
there3--8,if in spite of the concourse  
of several adverse circumstances1 we    
firmly believe that our country will be 
able to effect the union of the two     
,seas1 it is because this measure will  
soon become imperiously necessary for   
the maintenance of our empire 444 all   
nations would find immense advantage in 
the creation of a new route opened to   
navigation2 this evident advantage1     
offered to the ,european states nearer  
to ,africa1 has even been seriously     
adduced as a fit argument to divert     
,england from an enterprise1 the result 
of which might be problematical4 ,we    
encounter here one of the old distrusts 
of that worn-out theory1 that miserable 
tissue of mistakes that took upon itself
 to teach1 that a people is only rich   
and flourishing in proportion as its    
neighbours are indigent and unfortunate4
 ,doubtless the countries of ,europe    
nearest to the ,east will derive a      

considerable profit from the opening of 
the ,isthmus of ,suez1 but our egotism  
ought to find therein a motive for      
satisfaction2 for we cannot be ignorant 
of the fact1 that the developement of   
commerce1 whatever the means employed1  
always ends by bringing the better part 
of the profits to the most intelligent  
and most numerous firms4 ,for our own   
part1 such is our belief4 ,england1 and 
more than one other nation by its       
example1 appear to us called to great   
works which will throw into shade the   
most striking deeds of history4 ,among  
these works of the future1 it appears to
 us that the cutting through the        
,isthmuses of ,panama and ,suez stand in
 the first rank1 and which multiplying  
and strengthening the ties by which     
people of all climates1 of all races1 of
 all beliefs are united to ,great       
,britain1 will connect for ever the     
general prosperity of nations with the  
happiness of our country1 their security
 with its power1 their independence with

 its liberty40  ,we believe we have     
abundantly proved the possibility of    
constructing the ,maritime ,canal with  
its two entrances1 one from the         
,mediterranean1 the other from the ,red 
,sea1 and its interior harbour at ,lake 
,timsah4 ,the facilities and advantages 
which it offers to commerce and         
navigation as well as to ,egypt can no  
longer be a matter of doubt1 and let us 
say with the illustrious author of the  
memorial upon the ,nicaragua            
,canal3--8,think of the almost          
miraculous effects which will be        
produced by the annual passage across   
this fine country of #b to #cjjj        
vessels1 which would exchange their     
productions for those of the ,east1 and 
cause life and riches to circulate      
everywhere4 ,we may picture to ourselves
 those shores1 now so solitary1 peopled 
with towns and villages2 those lakes now
 gloomy and silent1 furrowed by ships2  
those rugged lands fertilised1 and the  
interior canal carrying the benefits of 

civilization into the heart of the      
country40  ,it only now remains to enter
 upon the financial and economical      
considerations of the undertaking2 but  
before approaching this part of the     
question1 it is necessary to complete   
the exposition of the scheme by         
describing the canal of communication   
and irrigation which will connect the   
interior of ,egypt with the ,maritime   
,canal4  ,this ,canal must fulfil three 
conditions4  ,it should be of a section 
sufficiently large to admit the craft   
and steam boats that navigate the ,nile1
 in order to allow access to the        
interior harbour from all points of     
,egypt without the inconvenience of     
trans-shipment4 ,the volume of water to 
be supplied to the ,canal should be     
sufficient1 after allowing for all      
losses by evaporation1 infiltration1 and
 the passage of the locks1 for the      
irrigation of #ajj1jjj feddans 7#dj1jjj 
hectares7 during the winter1 and #fj1jjj
 feddans 7#bd1jjj hectares7 during the  

summer4 ,lastly1 the level of the water 
ought to be maintained at the most      
favourable height for the natural       
irrigation of the immense tracts of land
 in the ,isthmus which now remain barren
 for want of water4  ,to fulfil these   
conditions1 the receipt of water for the
 alimentary and irrigating ,canal may be
 established a little above ,boulak at  
,kusr el ,nil where the mouth of the    
,kalidj ,zafranieh is1 which loses      
itself to the north of ,cairo in the    
,kalidj ,manjeh1 the ancient canal of   
,trajan and ,amrou2 this canal was      
partly re-excavated by ,mehemet ,ali to 
nearly the same dimensions as those     
required for the new ,canal1 and as far 
as ,tell el ,zoudieh4 ,by following this
 track a great economy is already       
obtained4 ,the ,canal also exists       
farther on as far as ,belbes1 but of    
smaller dimensions2 from ,belbes1 in    
order to maintain the water at a        
suitable height1 the ,canal is made to  
pass a little more to the ,east outside 

the cultivated lands1 which will give   
the ,company an opportunity of          
irrigating and fertilising the bordering
 tracts at present uncultivated4 ,the   
canal then proceeds northward as far as 
,ras el ,wady 7head of the valley71 the 
,pitoum of the ,bible4 ,this course     
exists of small dimensions1 but in      
several parts of its route it may be    
turned to account4 ,there will not be   
great expense in completing the line as 
far as ,lake ,timsah2 life would thus be
 given to ,cairo by traversing it with a
 navigable passage1 of which it is      
destitute at present4 ,it would then be 
necessary1 during the time of the low   
water1 to raise the waters of the ,nile 
to a height of three metres by means of 
steam pumps of #ejj horse power2 and    
when the barrage1 for which ,his        
,highness ,mohammed ,sad ,pacha has a   
project1 is completed1 the reflux will  
facilitate1 with the assistance of steam
 power1 the introduction of the waters  
of the ,nile into the ,canal during the 

six months of the low waters4  ,the     
width of the ,canal has been fixed at   
#be met41 measured on the water line at 
the time of the inundation4 ,this width 
is sufficient to allow two steam boats  
to pass each other without              
inconvenience4 ,moreover1 precautionary 
measures may be adopted at the entrances
 of the locks1 to prevent collisions1 if
 it should become necessary hereafter4  
,the depth of the bed of the ,canal     
below the natural surface of the ground 
in the first part or first dam1 as far  
as the north of ,tell el ,zondieh1 is #g
 metres1 that is to say1 at the level of
 the low waters of the river1 and at #ad
 metres above the level of low water in 
the ,mediterranean1 the fall of the     
,canal has been fixed at #j1jc in a     
#ajjj metres1 in order to secure a speed
 that shall not exceed ,o m41 #fe per   
second1 and that shall not destroy the  
banks of the ,canal4 ,this arrangement  
will enable us to supply1 during the    
high waters of the increase1 a volume of

 water for inundating the lands1 of #dj 
to #ej cubic metres per second1 or      
#c1ejj1jjj to #d1jjj1jjj cubic metres   
per diem4 ,as the inundation has to be  
continued during #ajj days at the most1 
and each feddan of land ought to have a 
quantity of #h1djj cubic metres of      
water1 that is to say1 two cubic metres 
of water to each square metre of land1  
#dg1fjj feddans might thus be inundated 
during the #ajj days4 ,this quantity of 
water is given to irrigate the lands and
 leave upon them the deposits of the    
river1 or the mud which is the manure of
 the ,egyptian soil2 but when the lands 
which the ,company will bring into      
cultivation have been thus improved by  
two or three complete inundations1 there
 will be a greater disposable quantity  
of water1 and the number of feddans to  
be brought into cultivation may be      
augmented4  ,the lands being thus       
fertilised and cultivated in two ways2  
first by inundations as we have just    
said1 afterwards by irrigation during   

the second part of the year1 that is to 
say1 during the low waters2 then in     
order to secure sufficient water for the
 ,canal of which the receipt of water is
 above the actual low water1 steam      
machines will be employed at the        
backwater of the barrage4  ,in order to 
have during the heats of summer a volume
 of water that shall be sufficient for  
the irrigation of #fj1jjj feddans       
7#bd1jjj hectares71 for the loss by     
evaporation1 and the waste at the last  
locks of ,lake ,timsah1 there will be   
required--                              
met4 cub4              per diem         
#a1bjj1jjj      ,for the passage of the 
locks1 the dimensions       of which    
are3--length #ed met4                   
breadth #ab met4                        
mean fall #c met4      ,taking forty    
passages per diem1 the       amount will
 be                                     
#hj1jjj      ,for evaporation1          
infiltration and other losses1       say
 #ae per cent4 of the serviceable       

quantity1       viz4                    
#aib1jjj                                
---------     ,total quantity of water  
to be supplied       per diem           
#a1dgb1jjj                              
,the height that the water has to be    
raised being #b metres1 and a pump of   
one horse power1 raising #fj litres per 
second for one metre1 pumps of five and 
six horse power will give the required  
quantity4  ,we establish therefore steam
 pumps of five and six horse power at   
the head of the ,canal1 as well as a    
barrage lock with gates both ways1 in   
order to guard against the great risings
 of the ,nile1 and to retain the waters 
of the ,canal when the river has        
subsided4  ,the ,company will thus be   
able to fertilise #ajj1jjj feddans1 of  
which #fj1jjj will be by irrigation1 and
 which will give the richest produce4   
,the ,canal follows the course of the   
,zafranieh as far as ,tell el ,yaoudieh1
 where there is a lock of #b met41 #ej  
fall2 it then leaves this ancient       

water-course to the left as far as      
,ras-el-,wady3 in this interval there   
are three other locks4  ,leaving        
,ras-el-,wady1 the track of the ,canal  
is directed so as to keep it as high as 
possible1 and to avoid the downs which  
occupy the whole of the valley1 and are 
constantly moving from south to north3  
all these downs should therefore be     
fixed by seed-plots1 and their superfice
 may perhaps be approximately estimated 
at #ej1jjj hectares4 ,the valley called 
,wady-,tomilat comprises two quite      
distinct parts2 the first1 from         
,abasseh-,mollaut to the east as far as 
,ras-el-,wady1 is well cultivated2 the  
other from this point1 as far as ,lake  
,timsah1 is uncultivated and covered    
with shrubs1 which will furnish an      
excellent combustible for the           
manufacture of lime and bricks1 as well 
as for the requirements of the workmen1 
until it is cultivated4 ,at present the 
waters of the ,nile spread naturally    
during the inundation for half the      

distance from ,ras-el-,wady to ,lake    
,timsah4 ,the ,ras-el-,wady channel     
extends along the valley with a depth of
 #g metres1 and it opens into ,lake     
,timsah with a double lock1 forming     
together a fall of #g metres4  ,above   
this lock there is a water-course for   
irrigation running towards ,suez1 and a 
conduit of water on the ,charmeroi      
system which goes towards ,pelusium1 so 
that1 for the whole extent of the       
,isthmus1 there will be water in        
abundance for the use of the workmen2   
the water-course for irrigation is #bj  
metres wide1 #hgjj metres in length1 and
 has a fall of 1#jd per kilom41 which   
gives a difference of #c met41 #dh in   
the level4  ,so that at ,suez the       
water-line of the water-course will be  
#g met41#jj - #c1dh  #c1eb4 ,the depth  
of the canal being #a1ej1 it will be    
seen that its bed will be #b1jb above   
the level of low water1 and near about  
that of high water4 ,there will         
consequently be no fear of the          

infiltration of salt water4  ,the       
section of the water-course thus        
determined1 will rule for one-third of  
its length1 but its breadth will be     
reduced to #ae metres for a second      
third1 and to #aj metres for the        
remaining third4  ,the water-course of  
,suez follows the direction and even the
 bed of the ancient canal1 as far as the
 ,serapeum1 the culminating point of the
 bar of that name2 it then leaves the   
ancient canal to the east1 to avoid the 
sands1 passes into a solid plain1 makes 
the circuit of the grand basin of the   
,isthmus1 arrives at the narrowest part1
 and continues in the plain at a        
sufficient height not to let the fresh  
water pass into the low and salt lands4 
,if on the ,pelusiac side1 a conduit of 
water has been adopted instead of an    
open water-course1 it is in order to    
obtain fresh water more quickly for the 
whole length of the ,maritime ,canal1   
and because the tillage on the ,pelusiac
 side does not begin until after that of

 ,suez4 ,and the pipes when they shall  
be replaced hereafter by a water-course1
 will serve to form a good distribution 
of water in the town which will arise at
 ,port ,timsah4  ,the advantages of the 
undertaking are now demonstrated4 ,but  
it is not so with regard to the returns 
which it will give to the shareholders4 
,doubt is prevalent in the financial    
world1 in consequence of the widely     
different estimates made by the         
engineers1 both as to the cost and the  
probable returns4 ,we have therefore    
directed our investigations more        
particularly to this capital point of   
the question1 taking care to guard      
against every kind of exaggeration1 in  
order to arrive at accurate and         
conscientious results1 and at figures as
 near as possible to the truth4  ,we are
 now about to present the result of our 
investigations in this last part of our 
labours4   ,,estimate ,,of ,,the ,,cost4
   ,,article ,i4  ,,earth-,,works4  ,we 
have adopted in our calculations for the

 ,canal1 the depth of #f met4 #ej below 
low water1 which will give for the      
minimum #g met4 #ej1 and for the maximum
 #h to #i met4 draught of water1 by the 
disposition of the locks and the        
elevation of the tides of the ,red ,sea4
 ,if this figure should not be found    
sufficient1 it would be easy to increase
 it by the dredging machines1 a certain 
number of which will always be kept1 and
 which would not prevent the navigation 
of the ,canal4                          
met4 cub4      ,the total quantity of   
removal required for the excavation     
of the ,grand ,canal1 according to the  
calculations made     from the sections1
 is                                     
#gd1fgi1acb      ,of which the part to  
be excavated to the level of low        
water in the ,mediterranean is          
#ag1dgc1gij                             
----------                              
the remainder     #eg1bje1cdb      is   
below this level4    ,,earth-,,works    
,,in ,,the ,,dry4--,for the first part1 

we have similar     works executed in   
,egypt2 these are the three ,canals dug 
to receive the waters of the ,nile      
arising from the reflux     caused by   
the barrage4 ,two of these canals have a
 breadth     of #ajj met4 at the bed2 #d
 met4 #ej mean depth1 with     banks #be
 met4 wide4 ,they are all three dug in  
clay1     which is very stiff at some   
points4      ,the works having been     
executed by the ,government1 the     pay
 of the workmen was very low3 #a piast4 
7#j fr4     #cg7 was given to able      
workmen2 #a piast4 7#j fr4 #be7     to  
others1 and #cj paras 7#j fr4 #bj7 to   
children2 the     corresponding work    
done was #a met4 #be1 cube per diem4    
,if this ratio were adopted1 it would   
evidently be too     low2 for the       
,company could not1 and would not1      
exercise     such an authority over the 
people of the country4      ,it is true1
 that these prices are voluntarily      
accepted by     the fellahs in the      
villages2 but they are at home with     

their families1 and are able to         
cultivate some patches of     land on   
their own account4 ,they would not      
willingly leave     their families1     
unless to obtain higher wages1 which    
would be at the maximum1 #b piast4 7#j  
fr4 #fb74      ,an average of #b piast4 
7#j fr4 #fb7 per diem1 must     be      
reckoned upon1 not including the supply 
of bread and     water1 which would cost
 #a piast4 in addition4 ,say1           
therefore1 #c piast4 or in round        
numbers1 #j fr4 #ij4      ,at these     
wages1 with good superintendence1 #a    
met4 #ej1     cube per diem might be    
required2 for1 in the works     which we
 have carefully observed1 we have       
adopted the     formula #b  n  #h met4  
cub4 to fix the task of the     workmen 
employed4 ,in which formula n indicates 
the     number of relays of #be met4 ,in
 the present case1     supposing the    
average distance from the centre of     
removal     to the centre of deposit to 
be two relays1 the formula     would    

give #b met4 cub4 and moreover the      
excavation is     to be made in very    
light ground4 ,we are therefore sure    
that the figure #a met4 #ej cube1 is    
rather below than     above the mark4   
,the cubic metre will thus come to #j   
fr4     #fa4--;,at this rate the first  
portion of the earth-works     would    
cost                                    
fr4 #aj1dhd1bgd    ,,earth-,,works      
,,under ,,water4--,for the second part  
we assume1     that it will be done     
entirely by steam dredges1 in two       
series4 ,the first composed of dredges  
of twenty horse     power performing the
 excavations to the depth of four       
metres2 and the second composed of      
dredges of thirty-five     horse power1 
making the excavations to the depth of  
#g     met4 #ej4      ,let us see what  
can be done by both these working night 
and day for #bej days in the year2 thus 
making ample     allowance for repairs  
and stoppages4      ,the dredges        
employed at the barrage1 of #bj horse   

power1     and raising sand from a depth
 of seven metres1 filled                
thirty-three lighters in the day and    
twenty-eight in the     night1 in all   
#fa per diem1 giving a total of #faj to 
#gjj     met4 cub42 but these machines  
were almost continually     stopped for 
want of a sufficient number of lighters4
     ,these same dredges1 on the ,seine1
 removed as much as #ejj     met4 cub4  
in the day1 and an equal quantity at    
night1     excavating1 it is true1 at a 
depth of only #b met4 #ej4     ,the     
price paid per cubic metre was #j fr4   
#ge1 including     carrying away and    
discharging4 ,at the barrage1 on account
     of the low price of labour1 the    
cubic metre has not cost     #j fr4 #ej4
      ,for deepening the roadstead of   
,toulon1 dredges of     twenty-five     
horse power were employed1 which raised 
the     mud from a depth of #i met4 #ej 
below low water4      ,these dredges    
worked #bgj days in the year1 and each  
raised #aid1gee met4 cub4 ,the cubic    

metre of soil     extracted was fixed   
provisionally for the account at #a     
fr4 #bj1 including the transport and    
discharge1 which     was at an average  
distance of several miles in the open   
sea4      ,at the port of ,valencia1    
dredges of thirty-five horse     power  
were employed1 raising #gej met4 cub4   
per diem1     from a depth of #e to #g  
metres4 ,a steamer of seventy     horse 
power towed the lighters to a distance  
of fifteen     miles1 and the cubic     
metre thus raised and transported       
only cost #j fr4 #ge4      ,from these  
data it may be assumed1 that the dredges
 of     twenty horse power will raise   
#ejj met4 cub4 of earth     per diem    
from a depth of #d met41 and we may fix 
the     price of extraction1 including  
transport1 at #j fr41 #ge2     that the 
dredges of thirty-five horse power will 
raise     #gej met4 cub4 at #a fr4 ,by  
causing the dredges to work     day and 
night1 and assuming1 as we have said1 an
 average     of #bej working days in the

 year1 a dredge of twenty horse         
power will excavate per ann4            
#bej1jjj     and a dredge of thirty-five
 horse power          #cge1jjj          
-------                                 
met4 cub4    #fbe1jjj      ,the total   
quantity of excavation to be performed  
by     dredges being #eg1bje1cdb met4   
cub41 if the work is     to be done in  
five years1 it will be necessary to have
     nineteen pairs of dredges2 and1 if 
it be observed that     for the greater 
part of the ,isthmus1 the excavation may
     be done by hand to the depth of a  
foot at least below     the level of the
 ,mediterranean1 since the bottom of the
     ,bitter ,lakes remains dry at a    
depth which reaches #h     met41 #eh1 it
 will be found that nineteen pairs will 
be     amply sufficient4      ,supposing
 half the work to be done by each kind  
of     dredge respectively1 the cost is 
found to be               #ej1jed1fgd   
,,canal ,,of ,,communication4--,the     
quantity of earth-work to be            

performed for the canal of communication
 and irrigation     is calculated from  
the sections at #aj1cbj1hhd met4 cub4   
from the receipt of water to ,lake      
,timsah4 ,for this work     men will    
easily be found1 at the rate of #c      
piast4 7#j     fr4 4#ge7 including all  
expenses1 and each workman will     do  
easily #b met4 per diem1 which reduces  
the price of     the cubic metre to #j  
fr4 #cg4      ,the cost of excavating   
the canal will therefore be             
#c1hgj1cca      ,for the small canal of 
irrigation1 leading from the last       
channel to ,suez1 the quantity of       
earth-work is #b1bah1ejj     met4 cub4  
,for this it will be necessary to pay   
the men     #j fr4 #ij per diem1 and    
they will easily do #b met4     #be     
cub41 which will be #j fr4 #dj per met4 
cub4      ,the cost of this part will   
therefore be                            
#hhg1djj     ,add #aj per cent4 for     
tools                                   
#f1ebi1ffg     ,contingencies           

#agc1fed                                
----------------         ,total for the 
first part                         fr4  
#gb1jjj1jjj   ,,article ,,ii4  ,,works  
,,of ,,art4  ,to give a concise but     
accurate notion of the expense of the   
works of art1 we shall fix the prime    
cost of the materials1 compared with the
 prices paid in the execution of the    
works of the barrage1 and then it will  
be easy to determine the outlay         
necessary for the present works1 as     
compared with that of the former4       
,,rough ,,stone4--,the rough stone used 
in the barrage comes     from the       
quarries of ,toura1 situated #cj kil4   
from     the place where it is used4 ,it
 costs #bb paras the     quintal1 or #d 
fr41 #bj1 the cubic metre1 delivered    
on the spot4 ,that which will be used in
 the works of the     ,maritime ,canal  
will come from the quarries of ,ataka1  
on     the shores of the bay of ,suez1  
at a distance of #bj kil4     from      
,suez4 ,this being a calcareous stone1  

like that of     ,toura1 if it is       
brought to the boats by a railroad and  
towed by steamers1 there is sure to be a
 saving in the     extraction and       
transport4 ,we have however1 taken the  
price at #e fr4 to cover all            
difficulties in forming                 
establishments1 the higher rate of      
labour1 and the cost     of the         
railroad4 ,this is the price paid for   
the blocks     employed at the port of  
,cherbourg4      ,at the port of        
,valencia 7in ,spain71 the extraction of
     large blocks1 the transport to the 
quay and loading1 only     cost #d fr4  
#be4    ,,hewn ,,stone4--,the hewn stone
 for the barrage1 came from     the     
quarries of ,toura and ,massara1 at an  
average distance     of #cc kil4 from   
the place where used4 ,these stones were
     first transported a distance of #f 
kil4 to the banks of     the ,nile1 by  
means of bullock carts1 then transferred
     to sailing barges1 and carried by  
water to the distance                   

above-mentioned4      ,the price per    
cubic metre was #bd piast4 7#f fr47 for 
extraction1 and #ah piast4 7#d fr4 #ej7 
for carriage2 in     all #aj fr4 #ej4   
,for the works of the ,maritime ,canal1 
stone will be used     coming from      
quarries now in work on the banks1 at   
the     level of high water for the     
whole extent of the ,gulf of     ,suez1 
and also from quarries on the shore of  
the ,red ,sea1     at a distance of     
about #aj kil4 from ,suez1 which furnish
     a shelly calcareous stone1 soft    
when extracted1 but     hardening by    
exposure to the air1 and also in sea    
water4      ,this stone has been        
successfully employed in building the   
,grand ,hotel of ,suez1 and has cost #cc
 piast4 7#h fr4     #be47 the cubic     
metre1 hewn and delivered at the quay4  
,we have adopted this price1 increased  
by #fj per cent4     in order to cover  
the distance1 and to arrive more easily 
at the comparison which we wish to      
establish4    ,,bricks4--,the bricks    

used in the barrage were made by        
steam machines1 and cost1 on account of 
extraordinary     circumstances1 #bf fr4
 per thousand4 ,those which will     be 
made by hand or by means of bullock     
machines in the     ,wady ,tomilat1 will
 not cost half so much2 for they can    
be made in the whole of that valley at  
the rate of #f to #g     fr4 per        
thousand1 on account of the great       
quantity of     combustibles found in   
that locality4      ,we have however    
assumed1 that on account of the expense 
of transport1 from ,pelusium to ,suez1  
the bricks will come     to the same    
price1 as at the barrage1 which is      
evidently     an excess4                
,,lime4--,the lime cost at the barrage1 
#h fr4 #gj the cubic     metre1         
delivered on the spot4 ,that which is   
made at ,suez     comes to #g fr4 #ge   
delivered4 ,this lime is made in the    
valley of ,gub1 with the combustibles   
found there in     abundance1 and which 
only cost the labour of cutting and     

transport4    ,,pozzolano4--,as the lime
 used in the barrage was fat lime1      
it was necessary to make artificial     
,pozzolano1 which     came to #de piast4
 7#aa fr4 #be7 the cubic metre4         
,this ,pozzolano could not be used for  
sea work1 for we     are convinced by   
experience that it is affected by the   
magnesia which is found in sea-water4   
,it can1 therefore1     only serve for  
the works of the canal of communication1
     and1 like the bricks1 it will cost 
less than at the     barrage4      ,for 
the sea masonry1 we have happily        
discovered solid     masses in the      
harbour of ,suez1 anciently formed at   
the     time of the ,caliphs1 or more   
probably at that of the     ,ptolemies4 
,these masses of masonry are so compact1
 that     when fragments are detached1  
the stone breaks more easily     than   
the mortar1 which is simply composed of 
sand and     hydraulic lime4      ,this 
lime very probably comes from the       
mountains of     ,ataka1 which contain  

several beds of calcareous marl2     and
 there is no doubt that1 by making      
researches1 the     beds that supplied  
the hydraulic lime may be discovered4   
,samples have been sent to ,m4 ,leplay1 
chief engineer and     professor at the 
,school of ,mines1 for analyzation1 and 
more will be sent until good beds shall 
be found4      ,on this supposition1 it 
is more than likely that the     masonry
 of the ,maritime ,canal will be less   
expensive than     that of the barrage1 
since it will be enough to have         
hydraulic lime to mix with the sand1    
which is found at     all points of the 
,canal4    ,,timber4--,the timber will  
come from ,anatolia and ,caramania4     
,oak and fir planks will be procured    
from ,trieste4 ,these     materials will
 not cost more than at the barrage2 for1
     though the distance of inland      
transport is greater1     the expense of
 trans-shipment will be avoided by the  
construction of a new lock1 which will  
unite the     ,mahmoudieh ,canal1 and   

consequently the ,nile1 with the sea4   
,,iron4--,it will be the same with      
regard to wrought and cast     iron1    
which will be procured from ,england and
 ,russia4  ,now1 the barrage of the     
,nile is #ajjf metres in length1 with   
four locks1 of which two are double1 of 
#ab metres opening1 and two others of   
#ae metres4 ,it is established upon a   
general platform at #g metres below the 
low water1 is #df metres wide1 and four 
metres average thickness1 with two lines
 of jaunting piles1 and #afjj metres of 
quay walls1 and only cost #ah1jjj1jjj   
francs1 including the purchase of steam 
machines1 to the number of twenty-two1  
the construction of all works and all   
the charges of administration1 which    
were considerable4  ,if this amount is  
divided by the total length of #ajjf1   
#ag1ijj francs will be obtained for the 
cost of a running metre1 including all  
the accessories of locks1 quays1        
machines1 and charges of administration4
    ,,barrage ,,locks4--,adopting this  

figure1 which is too high     by a good 
third for the ,maritime ,canal1 the two 
barrage     locks and the oblique       
barrage1 being altogether #cjj          
metres in length1 would cost            
fr4 #e1cgj1jjj      ,we say that this   
figure is much too high2 #ast4 ,because 
the barrage was made to support a       
pressure of #d to #e     metres of      
water1 while those of the ,maritime     
,canal     will never have to sustain   
more than #b1ej met4 at the     maximum 
height of the water2 #bnd4 ,because the 
waters     of the ,nile1 rising to #g1ej
 met4 above the low water     line1 it  
was necessary to elevate the masonry1   
piles1 and     arches1 to make at the   
same time a bridge of passage1 and      
to increase the weight of the masonry2  
#crd4 and lastly1     ,because it was   
necessary to defend the banks of the    
,nile     by #afjj metres of quay walls1
 both at the approaches of     the      
barrage and at the head of the three    
canals1 which is     not necessary here4

      ,notwithstanding these reasons1 we
 have adopted the above     figure1 in  
order to obtain a result1 rather in     
excess     than below the reality1 and  
thus to give every confidence     in our
 valuations4    ,,jetties ,,at          
,,pelusium ,,and ,,suez4--,for the      
jetties1 both at     ,pelusium and      
,suez1 we have said that we should adopt
     the mode of construction by loose  
stones1 as has been     done in the     
greatest known works1 and in the        
majority     of the ports in the        
,mediterranean1 such as ,cannes1        
,bandol1 ,barcelona1 ,valencia1 ,cadiz1 
,genoa1 c4 c41     always reducing the  
width of the causeway according to      
the necessity of the case4 ,thus1 the   
jetty which is     to windward in the   
prevailing winds1 has a width of #h     
metres at the summit for its causeway1  
which is at #a     met41 #ej1 above low 
water4      ,there is1 moreover1 a      
parapet #d met4 thick and #c     met41  
#ej1 high4 ,on the other hand1 the jetty

 to the     leeward has a causeway only 
#f metres wide1 and the     parapet #c  
met4 thick and #b met41 #ej1 high4      
,in order to enable the ships to        
approach the windward     jetty1 and to 
be towed its whole length1 masonry in   
hydraulic mortar has been disposed on   
the interior slope     of the jetty from
 a depth of #c met4 below low water1    
as shown on the section drawn on the    
map4 ,this is only     in imitation of  
what is seen in the harbour of ,bastia1 
as well as in those of ,cannes and      
,bandol1 and the other     details have 
been taken from those adopted in the    
construction of the last-mentioned4     
,assuming that the jetty east of ,suez  
will be #djjj met4     long1 there will 
be #igj1jjj met4 cub4 of rough stones1  
which at #e fr4 the metre on board the  
vessels1     amounts to                 
fr4 #d1gej1jjj      ,taking the         
transport and sinking at #b fr41        
which is a great deal1 we have          
#a1idj1jjj                              

---------         ,total                
fr4 #f1fij1jjj                          
---------      ,say in round numbers    
#g1jjj1jjj      ,for the western jetty1 
the same amount                         
#g1jjj1jjj      ,for the jetty west of  
,pelusium1 if we assume that the        
transport will be for a distance of #aej
 kil4 at #j fr4     #jc per ton1 per    
kil4 which will be about #j fr4 #jf     
per cubic metre1 we shall have #i fr4   
for the cost of     transport1 to which 
add #a fr4 for sinking2 with the        
cost of extraction it will be #ae fr4   
per cubic metre4     ,the quantity being
 #a1jjj1jjj met4 cub4 we get an amount  
of                                      
#ae1jjj1jjj      and as much for the    
western jetty                           
#ae1jjj1jjj    ,,mole ,,of              
,,pelusium4--,the defensive mole being  
#ejj met4 in     length1 its contents   
will be #bej1jjj met4 cub41 and the     
cost of its construction                
#c1gej1jjj    ,,retaining ,,basin4--,the

 semicircular dyke forming the          
retaining basin will have a developement
 of #fbjj met4     and the contents will
 be #hij1jjj met4 cub4 its cost     will
 therefore be                           
#ac1ejj1jjj      ,the shingling on the  
banks of the canal for a length of      
#ajj kil4 is estimated at               
#a1ejj1jjj    ,,quay ,,walls ,,of ,,port
 ,,timsah4--,the quay walls to be       
constructed     in the harbour of ,lake 
,timsah1 for a length of #aejj     met4 
are estimated at #abjj fr4 the running  
metre     7though we have constructed   
some entirely of hewn stone1     which  
only cost #hej fr472 the cost of this   
item will     therefore be              
#a1hjj1jjj      ,in order to ascertain  
in a general manner whether the         
figures which we exhibit are in         
conformity with the data     resulting  
from experience1 we have examined the   
costs of     analogous works1 that we   
might compare them with those     which 
we have determined4      ,the dyke of   

,cherbourg1 which is #chjj met4 long1   
has     cost #fh1jjj1jjj1 after all the 
vicissitudes it has     undergone from  
the beginning of the century4 ,it comes 
therefore to about #ag1ijj fr4 per      
running metre4     ,its depth is #ah    
met41 #hj below high water1 while the   
average depth of those projected is only
 #d met4 ,now if     we assume1 as is   
evidently correct1 that the bulk1 and   
consequently the cost of each1 are as   
the square of its     height1 we find   
that as the dyke of ,cherbourg cost     
#ag1ijj     fr4 the running metre1 those
 of ,suez should cost     twenty-two    
times less1 that is #hae fr4 yet they   
come to     #agij fr4 the running metre4
      ,the jetties of the harbour of    
,joliette at ,marseilles1     allowance 
made for all expenses1 come to #eejj fr4
 the     running metre4 ,their          
foundations are #aa met41 #ej     below 
low water4 ,those of ,pelusium ought1   
therefore1 to     cost nine times less1 
that is #fae fr4      ,the mole of the  

harbour of ,valencia1 which is #efj met4
     long1 and the foundation #h metres1
 #ej1 deep1 was     awarded for a sum of
 #c1jjj1jjj fr43 according to this      
price the defensive mole of ,pelusium   
should cost less     than that sum1     
while we have estimated it at #c1gej1jjj
     fr4      ,the mole of the harbour  
of ,cannes1 which is only #aej     met4 
long1 has been estimated at #a1cjj1jjj  
fr41 which     is #hfff fr4 per running 
metre1 but it goes to depths     of     
water that reach #aj met43 its cost is  
therefore1     at least six times more  
considerable than that of the           
jetties of ,suez2 yet our estimate is   
more than the fifth     of that figure4 
,we may therefore say that our estimates
 are in excess     as regards the works 
of ,suez1 and very much more so for     
those of ,pelusium1 since1 in           
proportion1 our figures     exceed even 
those of works executed under the most  
unfavourable conditions4    ,,canal ,,of
 ,,communication4--,for the canal of    

communication1     we have first to     
erect pumps of #ejj horse power in      
the aggregate1 in order to provide amply
 for all the     incidents of           
navigation1 irrigation1 losses by       
filtration     and evaporation2 as1 for 
irrigation and navigation we     only   
require #hjj1jjj metres cub4 per diem1  
while pumps     of #ejj horse power will
 supply #a1bif1jjj4    ,,steam          
,,pumps4--,the steam pumps that have    
been erected in     ,egypt1 have come to
 #b1bjj fr4 per horse power1 fixed      
and mounted complete2 for this item1    
therefore1 there     will be an         
expenditure of                          
#a1ajj1jjj    ,,barrage ,,locks4--,there
 will be six barrage locks with         
draw-bridges2 the locks will be #ab met4
 wide and #ed     met4 long between the 
gates4 ,the cost of each barrage        
lock complete will be #cjj1jjj fr4 and  
for the six         #a1hjj1jjj          
,,cultivation ,,of ,,lands4--,for       
bringing the lands into     cultivation 

we must reckon #bjj fr4 per feddan1 or  
#ejj     fr4 per hectare4 ,it is true   
that land may be bought in     the      
country1 all prepared with agricultural 
buildings1     magazines1 cattle1 plant1
 c4 c41 at the rate of #bej     fr4 the 
feddan 7#fbe fr4 the hectare71 but the  
agricultural system established on these
 lands is very     defective4      ,the 
expenditure for #dj1jjj feddans1 or     
#af1jjj     hectares1 will be           
#h1jjj1jjj    ,,fixing ,,the            
,,sands4--,for fixing the sands we have 
seen that     the cost would be #ff fr41
 #hj1 the hectare4 ,it appears     to us
 advantageous to carry out this         
operation on a large     scale2 we have 
therefore adopted the figure of #bd1jjj 
hectares 7#fj1jjj feddans74 ,the        
expenditure for this     item will be   
#a1fjc1bjj    ,,conduit ,,pipes4--,for  
the conduit pipes1 of which there       
will be a total length of #hj1jjj       
metres1 we adopt     those on the       
,charmeroi principle1 although there are

 now     earthenware pipes very suitable
 for water courses1 and     which do not
 cost half what the ,charmeroi pipes do4
 ,these     latter1 #j met41 #aj1 in    
diameter1 which is the size     adopted1
 are laid complete1 including the       
trenches1 #a     met41 #dj deep1 at #f  
fr41 #cj per metre4 ,on account     of  
the carriage1 we put the metre at #h    
fr41 which     makes an amount of       
#fdj1jjj    ,,light ,,houses ,,and      
,,beacons4--,we assume that there will  
be     two lighthouses1 one at the      
,damietta point1 and the other     on   
the ,red ,sea1 at ,raz ,mohammed4 ,there
 will be besides1     two beacons at the
 head of the jetties at ,pelusium and   
at ,suez4 ,the lighthouses with their   
lenticular apparatus     will cost1 the 
two                         #aej1jjj fr4
     and the two beacons                
#bj1jjj fr4     in all                  
#agj1jjj      ,there will be houses for 
the officers1 barracks for the          
workmen1 stables for the animals1       

magazines for the     provisions1       
materials1 c4 c41 for which we set down 
an     approximate amount of            
#a1jjj1jjj                              
-----------------     ,total cost of    
,art4 ,,ii4 for ,works of ,art          
fr4  #hd1bcc1bjj     ,total cost of     
,art4 ,i4 ,earth-works                  
#gb1jjj1jjj                             
-----------------     ,total cost       
fr4 #aef1bcc1bjj      ,we assume that it
 will require full six years to         
accomplish the works1 and that the      
expenses of     administration will     
amount to two and a half per cent4      
on the total cost2 therefore for this   
item will be     required a sum of      
#c1ije1hcj      ,a farther sum for      
contingent works1 unforeseen            
#b1daj1igj                              
-----------------         ,grand total  
of the cost                         fr4 
#afb1eej1jjj    ,,distribution ,,of     
,,the ,,work4--,let us now see how this 
sum     is to be expended1 and in what  

manner the works may be     distributed1
 in order to their completion in the    
space of     six years4      ,the first 
thing to be done is1 evidently1 to bring
 the     fresh water into the ,isthmus1 
in order to supply the     workmen1 and 
to effect the transport of provisions   
and     materials4      ,the canal of   
communication1 with its locks1 the      
irrigating channel1 and the water       
conduit1 may be easily     executed in  
the first year1 since these works only  
represent #ab1eci1chd met4 cub41 or1 at 
the maximum     #f1bfi1fib days' work1  
at the rate of two cubic metres     per 
diem4 ,taking #cjj working days in the  
year1 it will     require #bj1hih men4  
,in this part of ,egypt from #cj to     
#dj1jjj may easily be had if necessary4 
,in the same year the grand yards will  
be formed at the     quarries1 with all 
the railways1 quays1 and landing        
places1 for the extraction and supply1  
on a large scale1     of the stone      
necessary for the moles1 jetties1 and   

works     of art4      ,contracts will  
be made with the manufacturers for the  
supply of dredges1 lighters1 towing     
barges1 boats1 and     other machines to
 be employed in the execution of the    
works4 ,in this first campaign1 the     
expenditure will be     approximately   
fr4 #ab1jjj1jjj4      ,in the second    
year1 eight dredges will be mounted in  
the harbour of ,suez to excavate the    
channel and the     foundations of the  
jetties4 ,the operations at the         
quarries1 the erection of the jetties1  
and the barrage     lock1 may therefore 
be pushed on with all desirable         
activity4      ,fresh water will be     
thrown into ,lake ,timsah1 to set to    
work all the other disposable dredges2  
#cj1jjj workmen     will perform all the
 clearance in the extent of the         
,bitter ,lakes1 and for the remainder of
 the ,canal4 ,they     will prepare a   
trench in the ground to #a met4 #ej1    
below     low water1 and so form a      
channel #ae met4 wide1 which     will   

enable the barges and machines to pass  
and repass     the whole extent of the  
,isthmus4 ,all the force will be        
applied this year to open a             
communication between ,suez     and     
,lake ,timsah1 and consequently between 
,suez and the     ,nile4      ,the      
fixing of the downs1 and the cultivation
 of the     lands1 will be commenced4   
,the expenditure of this     campaign   
will be approximately                   
fr4 #be1jjj1jjj4      ,in the third year
 the communication of ,lake ,timsah with
     the ,mediterranean will be opened1 
and all the disposable     force will be
 employed in making the scouring basin  
and     erecting the jetties4 ,the      
earth-works will be continued1     the  
dredging also1 the sowings on the downs1
 and the     agricultural labours4      
#bj1jjj workmen will be employed        
this year1 and the expenditure may be   
set down at    fr4 #cj1jjj1jjj4      ,in
 the fourth year1 the same works as in  
the preceding1     that is1 the         

earth-works will be continued both by   
hand     and by the dredges1 the        
jetties1 the barrage locks1 and     the 
quay wall in the ,lake4 ,moreover1 the  
defensive mole     will be commenced2   
the sowings and cultivation extended4   
,it is estimated that #bj1jjj workmen   
will still be     required1 and an      
expenditure of                      fr4 
#cc1jjj1jjj      ,in the fifth and sixth
 years1 the same operations will be     
continued1 but so many men will no      
longer be required2     for the dredges 
will perform the principal part of the  
work1 and the operations at the quarries
 can then be     pushed on with all     
possible activity4      ,we assume for  
each of these years an expenditure of   
fr4 #ca1jjj1jjj2 for both               
fr4 #fb1jjj1jjj      ,which will make up
 the amount of the estimate       fr4   
#afb1jjj1jjj    ,,interest ,,to ,,be    
,,paid ,,to ,,the ,,shareholders4--,as  
it is usual     to pay interest to the  
shareholders on the amounts             

subscribed1 in proportion to the paid-up
 capital1 it is     necessary to take an
 account of the interest so accruing1   
and to carry the amount to the cost of  
execution4      ,interest on #ab1jjj1jjj
 fr4 subscribed the first year     at #e
 per cent4 for six years                
fr4 #c1fjj1jjj     --#be1jjj1jjj #bnd   
yr4 #e per cent4 #e yrs4                
#f1bej1jjj     --#cj1jjj1jjj #crd  0    
0        #d  0                          
#f1jjj1jjj     --#cc1jjj1jjj #dth  0    
0        #c  0                          
#d1iej1jjj     --#ca1jjj1jjj #eth  0    
0        #b  0                          
#c1ajj1jjj     --#ca1jjj1jjj #fth  0    
0        #a  0                          
#a1eej1jjj                              
----------------                        
fr4 #be1dej1jjj      ,total of interest 
payable to the shareholders1 to be      
added to the estimated amount of        
expenditure              #afb1eej1jjj   
-------------                           
#ahh1jjj1jjj                            

-------------      ,let us1 however1    
carry the maximum capital to be         
applied in the undertaking to           
fr4 #bjj1jjj1jjj  ,in presenting the    
estimate of the works1 amounting1 as we 
have seen1 to a maximum of #afb1eej1jjj 
francs1 we have been desirous of        
meeting1 on the data generally admitted1
 all the objections hitherto made       
relative to the difficulties consequent 
upon the choking up of the entrance of  
the jetties and the accretions in the   
basin of the ,red ,sea or in the gulf of
 ,pelusium4 ,we have been fearful of    
appearing too bold in pronouncing1 in an
 absolute manner1 in favour of          
dispensing with the sluices and the     
works which they necessitate4 ,we need  
not call attention to the fact1 that the
 present is but a precursory scheme2 we 
reserve it for our definitive scheme1 to
 examine an entirely new theory founded 
on the experience of the most           
distinguished engineers of ,france1 and 
on the conclusive opinion now before us 

of ,m4 ,renaud1 chief engineer of       
seaports4 ,we have hopes then1 that it  
will be possible to dispense with the   
system of sluices1 and that we shall    
thus effect an economy of several       
millions in the execution of the work4  
,m4 ,renaud has ascertained that when   
the sluices open into the sea they lose 
nearly all their efficiency1 and that in
 many cases they are worse than useless1
 and become detrimental4 ,they deposit1 
in front of the channel1 the matter     
which they bring down1 and when this    
matter is not carried off by traversing 
or littoral currents1 it forms1 sooner  
or later1 deposits or bars1 whose       
summits are above the bed of the        
channel4 ,it is thus that the mouths of 
rivers which flow into seas without     
tides1 are1 with few exceptions1 without
 depth of water2 the alluvium which is  
carried along the coasts coming within  
the action of the current of the river1 
is driven by that current to a certain  
distance from the shore1 and deposited  

in proportion as the current loses its  
power4 ,being then less easily held in  
suspension than when near the coast1    
where the depth is less1 they are also  
less easily carried off by the littoral 
current2 deposits are formed and rise1  
until the combined action of the waves  
and the current no longer permit any    
fresh matter to subside4  ,whatever may 
be thought of this explanation1 it must 
be admitted that the alluvium brought by
 the sea1 no less than that brought by  
rivers1 prevents our obtaining a depth  
of water at the mouths of those rivers4 
,artificial sluices1 therefore1 appear  
to have no power to preserve a permanent
 depth of water4  ,if then we are       
permitted to renounce the idea of having
 recourse to the use of sluices for     
maintaining the depth of water at       
,pelusium and at ,suez1 it will be very 
easy by means of dredges to ensure the  
continuance of this depth1 as is already
 done at the entrance of several ports1 
and particularly at that of the port of 

,cette4  ,the employment of dredges will
 allow of a considerable saving in the  
cost of establishing the ,canal4 ,the   
portion of the expenses required for the
 sluices would certainly be greater than
 the capital representing twenty times  
the annual expense of dredging4         
,another saving 7of #c1gej1jjj7 might be
 effected by dispensing with the        
intended breakwater or defensive mole at
 ,pelusium4 ,the channel as it is       
planned will probably be considered     
accessible in all winds which are likely
 to create a rough sea2 there is no     
occasion then for us to trouble         
ourselves with the fear of seeing ships 
miss the entrance4 ,there are a great   
many important seaports1 ,alexandria for
 instance1 where a ship cannot enter    
after sunset1 in a much worse nautical  
condition than that at ,pelusium will   
be1 and near which nevertheless there is
 no sheltered anchorage4 ,we may name   
the port of ,liverpool1 which is not    
accessible at low water for large ships4

 ,we may also mention the port of       
,havre1 into which large ships can only 
enter during three hours out of twelve1 
and yet the number of disasters on those
 coasts is not relatively greater than  
elsewhere4  ,we have not deducted from  
the amount of expenditure any of the    
returns1 which will be received during  
the execution of the works1 and which   
will not fail to be important3--thus the
 inland ,canal of communication being   
finished in the first campaign1 there   
will be the transport of all the        
agricultural produce along it for five  
years4 ,in the second year the ,canal   
going as far as ,suez1 there will be1   
for four years1 the lock dues and the   
profits of transport1 which may be      
valued at an average annual value of    
#a1jjj1jjj fr4 ,there will be1 moreover1
 the profits arising from the           
cultivation of the lands1 which will    
increase every year1 and will not be of 
less average annual value than          
#a1jjj1jjj fr4 ,this already makes an   

income of #h1jjj1jjj fr4  ,finally1     
during the last two years1 passage may  
be afforded1 as was done on the         
,caledonian ,canal to all ships of small
 tonnage1 and to all steam boats that   
may choose to take advantage of the     
cutting1 and in this manner a return of 
several millions will be obtained4  ,we 
might have brought these sums forward as
 a deduction from the interest payable  
to the shareholders1 but we have        
preferred leaving them disposable4      
,,estimate ,,of ,,the ,,revenues4  ,it  
is impossible not to recognise  priori1 
the immense advantages offered to       
commerce by the new route that we       
present1 and it appears from thence     
quite natural to assume1 that the       
navigation formerly carried on in the   
,red ,sea1 and which continued to       
prosper1 notwithstanding the discovery  
of the ,cape1 will resume yet more      
propitiously the ancient route2 since   
there will no longer be any             
trans-shipment1 no longer any transport 

across the desert1 no longer any        
obstacle whatever4 ,steam and sailing   
vessels will find1 on the contrary1 an  
opportunity of revictualling in ,egypt  
with fresh provisions1 which are found  
there in abundance at the lowest prices4
 ,steam vessels will take in coals      
there1 which will cost less by half than
 at present4 ,finally1 travellers who   
now prefer the route by the ,cape1 on   
account of the inconvenience of         
trans-shipment1 the fatigues of the     
desert of ,suez1 and the high price of  
the passage1 will no longer hesitate to 
adopt the shortest line1 when it shall  
be more easy1 more certain1 and more    
economical than the other4  ,there are1 
however1 timorous minds from which has  
emanated the opinion1 that the ,maritime
 ,canal at the best1 could only serve   
for steam navigation1 for sailing       
vessels would find1 according to them1  
no advantage from the moment they should
 be subjected to passage dues2 and the  
proof they say1 is1 that the rate of    

freightage has sunk so low vi the ,cape1
 that it could bear no deduction arising
 from any passage dues whatever4  ,let  
us therefore examine the facts          
attentively1 in order to resolve this   
question in a manner at once clear and  
practical that shall remove all doubts4 
,in treating of the navigation on the   
,red ,sea1 as compared to that on the   
ocean1 to reach ,india1 we think we have
 demonstrated that at present1 with the 
means of steam-towing1 with the aid of  
lighthouses1 and the knowledge acquired 
of the winds1 the currents1 and the     
coasts of the ,red ,sea1 a sailing      
vessel will meet with more facilities on
 this latter1 than on the ,ocean in the 
passage of the ,cape2 but let us admit  
the circumstances to be equal on either 
side1 by way of the ,canal #bjjj leagues
 at least are economised in the passage 
between ,europe and the regions of the  
extreme ,east4 ,this saving is equal to 
a saving of two months out of five4     
,for1 in making the passage of #dhj     

leagues from ,marseilles to ,alexandria1
 the ships consume ten days on the      
average at the favourable season4  ,a   
diminution of two months out of five1   
must necessarily produce a corresponding
 advantage in all the expenses which    
press upon merchandize3 thus--  #a4 ,the
 average value of imports and exports   
between ,europe and the extreme ,east1  
being about #fjj fr4 per ton1 the saving
 in the interest1 on the capital        
employed at the rate of six per cent4   
will be #f fr4 per ton4  #b4 ,a ship of 
#ejj tons burthen1 costs at the least1  
fully equipped1 #aej1jjj fr41 and pays  
seven per cent4 per ann4 to the         
assurance companies when it navigates   
the ,chinese waters4 ,it only makes at  
present two voyages in the year         
including the return2 with the ,maritime
 ,canal it will be able to make three1  
which will effect a saving to the owner 
of two per cent4 that is #cjjj fr4 or #f
 fr4 per ton4  #c4 ,the capital         
represented by the ship ought to yield  

an interest arising from the freight1 of
 at least twelve per cent4 on account of
 wear and continual reparation4 ,by     
enabling the ship to make an additional 
voyage1 the ,canal gives the means of   
saving four per cent4 that is1 #fjjj fr4
 or #ab fr4 per ton4  #d4 ,this same    
ship has a crew of fifteen men1         
exclusive of the captain4 ,taking the   
pay of each man at #gj fr4 per month1   
and that of the captain at #fjj fr41 it 
will be found that a saving will be made
 of #bejj fr4 which is #e fr4 per ton4  
#e4 ,although it may be said that the   
insurance upon merchandize is not       
determined by the duration of the       
voyage1 but by the risk which the ship  
runs1 according to the route it takes2  
we do not the less persist in           
maintaining that the facilities of      
navigation in the ,red ,sea being at    
least equal to those vi the ,cape1 the  
rate of insurance must be lower upon    
merchandize exposed two months less to  
the chances of navigation4 ,this rate is

 usually two and a half per cent4 upon  
merchandize going to ,china2 we do not  
think we are beyond the truth in        
assuming a diminution of half per cent4 
in favour of the passage by the ,canal1 
which would be a farther saving of #c   
fr4 per ton4  ,by adding up the figures 
thus obtained1 we find a saving of #cb  
fr4 per ton on merchandize which shall  
pass by the ,canal3 this minimum figure 
of #cb fr4 calculated for a diminution  
of #b1jjj leagues2 will increase in     
proportion to the distance gained by the
 ports nearest to the cutting2 for      
,constantinople1 for instance1 the      
saving will be more than double1 on     
account of the #dcjj leagues gained by  
her navigation4 ,leaving #bb fr4 of the 
increased profit to the advantage of    
navigation1 there will remain #aj fr4   
per ton for passage dues in favour of   
the ,company1 a figure which is less    
than two per cent4 on the estimated     
average value of the merchandize1 at    
#fjj fr4 per ton4 ,now1 silks1 indigos1 

coffees1 sugars1 tobaccos1 gums1        
cottons1 woollens1 wines1 spirits1 c4 c4
 are of greater value than this figure2 
there is only rice and coal which do not
 reach it4  ,it will doubtless be       
objected to our calculations1 that the  
freights to ,australia being on an      
average only #ej to #fj fr4 per ton on  
merchandize1 if the #cb fr41 which we   
show as an advantage presented by the   
,canal1 were forestalled in the freight1
 there would only remain #bj to #cj fr4 
per ton for the shipowner1 who would    
evidently suffer loss4 ,it will thence  
be concluded that our valuations are    
exaggerated4 ,but at present the        
shipowner who despatches his vessel to  
,australia at the rate of #fj fr4 per   
ton1 is equally at a loss by the        
merchandize2 and if he consents to make 
the speculation1 it is for the advantage
 that he finds in the freight of the    
passengers4 ,well1 the speculation will 
not be altered by opening the ,canal2   
the shipowner will still lose on the    

merchandize and gain by the passengers3 
only he will lose less than at present  
by the one1 and gain more by the other4 
,it is the same for ,china and the other
 parts of the extreme ,east4 ,the       
freights are so low in relation to the  
distance and the chances of navigation1 
that loss appears to result from them4  
,but it is clear that then the          
shipowners are interested in those      
operations of commerce that are very    
lucrative1 and are moreover indemnified 
by the passage of numerous emigrants1   
functionaries1 c4 c4 ,the opening of the
 ,maritime ,canal1 far from being       
hurtful to these operations1 will1 on   
the contrary1 be eminently advantageous 
to them1 and the shipowners will find   
their ultimate profits increased by it4 
,our calculations1 therefore1 remain    
intact1 since they are based upon       
practical data1 known to every one1 and 
which are1 moreover1 according to the   
general usages of commerce4  ,let us now
 endeavour to give an idea of the       

commerce in imports and exports1 which  
is carried on between ,europe and       
,india1 ,china1 c4  ,trade has so much  
increased for a period of ten years1 and
 especially during the last three years1
 in consequence of the discovery of gold
 in ,australia2 and every year its      
developement is such1 in relation to the
 preceding year1 that it is impossible  
to settle its statistics even           
approximately4 ,for the figures given   
for one year are already erroneous      
before they make their appearance4 ,it  
is1 however1 possible to throw some     
light upon this question1 which has been
 the subject of so much controversy1 and
 to give a minimum figure4  ,mac        
,culloch1 in his statistics of #ahdb1   
gives the following figures for the     
tonnage of merchandize imported and     
exported by the commerce of ,england4   
,imports4  ,exports4                    
,tons4       ,tons4     ,cape of ,good  
,hope             #diej      #af1djh    
,eastern ,coasts                 #aeb   

#bdj     ,ports of the ,red ,sea        
----         #dji     ,islands of ,cape 
,verd          #aaah        #bhhc       
,st4 ,helena and ,ascension       #ccj  
#cigg     ,mauritius                    
#bh1fej      #af1cig     ,singapore and 
,ceylon       #aia1cgh     #bjb1aja     
,java                          #bcdf    
#hfgb     ,philippine ,islands          
#cdaa         #cja     ,other islands of
 ,india        #aada         #fhf       
,china                       #cb1hah    
#bh1big     ,australia                  
#bb1hfe      #ea1bcd     ,new ,zealand  
#acda        #ifea     ,islands of the  
,south ,sea       #chh        #ajah     
--------------------                    
,tons #bij1hhh      #cdb1bgd            
#bij1hhh                                
-------          ,grand total           
,tons   #fcc1afb      ,mr4 ,anderson1 of
 the ,east ,india ,company1 estimates   
the     tonnage of ,english ships in    
relation with the places     dependent  
on the ,east ,india ,company1 for the   

year #ahda     at                       
,tons #gbg1ehg      ,deducting the      
commerce with the ,cape and the other   
places     in the vicinity1 estimated at
                                        
#cj1cji          ,there remain1 ,tons   
#fig1bgh      ,to which he adds the     
tonnage of the ships trading to         
,batavia and the other ,dutch and       
,german possessions            #bjj1jjj 
-------             ,grand total        
,tons #hig1bgh                          
-------  ,thus ,mr4 ,anderson gives1    
probably for the same year1 a tonnage   
greater by a third than ,mr4 ,mac       
,culloch4  ,we will now compare some of 
these figures with those that have been 
officially collected by ,m4 ,arnaud     
,tison1 delegate from the ,chamber of   
,commerce of ,rouen1 in his travels in  
,china during the years #ahej-ed4       
,in #ahea1 #igf ships entered the ports 
of ,australia1     measuring            
,tons #bcd1bae      ,in the same year   
#ajad ships cleared the ports1          

measuring                               
,tons #bfc1hid                          
-------                                 
,total1 tons   #dih1aji                 
-------  ,this figure is seven times    
greater than that given by ,mr4 ,mac    
,culloch1 and as the discovery of gold  
was not yet made at that time1 it may be
 said that at present the figure given  
by ,m4 ,arnaud ,tison ought to be       
doubled to be correct4 ,the total value 
of imports and exports was #aaj1jjj1jjj4
  ,for ,china1 the single port of       
,shang-,hai exported in #ahea1 #ce1jjj  
tons of tea1 which is more than the     
figure given by ,mr4 ,mac ,culloch for  
all the produce imported from ,china4   
,the commerce of the two single ports of
 ,shang-,hai and ,canton1 in imports and
 exports1 without reckoning opium1 was  
estimated in #ahea at #djj to           
#ejj1jjj1jjj francs1 which answers      
nearly to #hjj1jjj tons1 taking the     
average value per ton at #fjj fr41 and  
which makes twelve times as much as the 

estimate given by ,mr4 ,mac ,culloch4   
,at ,manilla1 the commerce in #ahea was 
#ea1ggc1bcb fr4 of which about          
#bd1jjj1jjj were exports1 and the       
remainder imports4 ,this figure answers 
to the activity of #hf1cjj tons1 taking 
the average value of the ton at #fjj fr4
 ,it is more than twenty times the      
estimate of ,mr4 ,mac ,culloch4  ,for   
,java we have not been able to procure  
any positive information1 but according 
to the periodical publications 7,revue  
des deux ,mondes1 c47 and according to  
the reports of travellers1 the increase 
of business every year is much greater  
than in the ,philippine ,islands4 ,we   
shall not therefore be charged with     
exaggeration1 in fixing the figure of   
commercial activity in these colonies at
 #ajj1jjj1jjj or about #aej1jjj tons1   
for the year #ahea4  ,mr4 ,anderson     
estimated the commerce between ,europe  
and ,indo-,china at #bf1jjj1jjj1 or     
#fej1jjj1jjj francs1 thus distributed3--
      ,the commerce between ,europe and 

the ,indies is     estimated at         
,exports #ab1jjj1jjj                    
,imports   #h1jjj1jjj      ,the commerce
 with ,singapore1 ,china1 ,java1 c4     
c4 at                                   
#f1jjj1jjj                              
-----------     ,amount of the commerce 
with places to the east     of ,egypt   
#bf1jjj1jjj                             
-----------  ,we have just seen from the
 researches of ,m4 ,arnaud ,tison that  
,shang-,hai and ,canton alone gave to   
commerce in #ahea an activity           
represented by the figure of #djj to    
#ejj1jjj1jjj francs1 which is quadruple 
that attributed by ,mr4 ,anderson in    
#ahda1 to the entire commerce of the    
,china ,seas1 including the ,philippine 
islands1 ,java and ,singapore4  ,we are 
therefore quite sure of being below the 
reality in fixing the amount of commerce
 with places to the east of ,egypt1 in  
#ahea at #ajj1jjj1jjj1 instead of the   
#bf1jjj1jjj in #ahda4 ,at the time we   
write1 this figure of #ajj1jjj1jjj      

sterling is perhaps quadrupled and      
carried to #aj1jjj1jjj1jjj francs1 and  
when the ,canal is opened1 this latter  
sum will be a mere mistake4  ,in fact   
not only the greatest part of the       
commerce of ,europe with the extreme    
,east will be carried on through the    
,maritime ,canal1 but moreover all the  
activity in operation between ,america  
and ,china1 will abandon the route of   
,cape ,horn for that of the ,isthmus1   
which will be easier1 shorter1 and more 
certain4  ,for the farther support of   
our opinion1 we have the vast countries 
which are at present completely without 
the sphere of the commercial activity of
 the world1 and which1 upon the opening 
of the ,canal1 will furnish a contingent
 which cannot be estimated now1 but     
which will be considerable4 ,abyssinia1 
,yemen1 ,hedjaz1 ,mascata1 and the      
coasts of ,africa1 will deliver         
quantities of merchandize2 such as the  
coffee of ,yemen and ,abyssinia1 gum    
arabic1 wax1 skins1 ivory1 wool1 indigo1

 c4 c4 ,mules and animals for the       
slaughterhouse abound in ,abyssinia1 and
 are sold at a low price4 ,a mule may be
 had from #be to #ajj fr41 an ox for #aj
 fr41 a sheep for #c fr42 timber and    
cabinet woods abound in the vast forests
 which have never felt the axe4 ,along  
the coasts of the ,red ,sea are very    
rich mines of sulphur1 which have just  
begun to be worked2 lead mines1 quarries
 of marble and porphyry2 extended       
beaches suitable for the establishment  
of salt pits1 c4 c4  ,new occupations   
will arise1 such as whale and cachalot  
fishing in the ,south ,seas2 pearl      
fishing in the ,persian ,gulf and       
,indian ,sea1 as well as the pursuit of 
mother-of-pearl1 tortoise-shell and     
coral4 ,a great part of the             
,mediterranean fishermen will transport 
themselves to the ,indian ,sea1 to      
pursue their occupation1 and increase   
the activity of the navigation in the   
,maritime ,canal4  ,we may therefore be 
sure that the cutting through of the    

,isthmus will increase ten-fold the     
operations of commerce and navigation2  
that1 as with every undertaking based   
upon a true principle1 the consequences 
cannot be calculated1 and that the idea 
most exaggerated in appearance1 will    
always be surpassed by the reality4     
,as1 however1 we are addressing         
ourselves to the commercial world1 and  
have to convince all minds1 even the    
most timid1 it is necessary that we     
should fix upon a figure1 and that this 
figure should not startle any one4 ,we  
have adopted that of #d milliards       
7#d1jjj1jjj1jjj7 of francs1 answering to
 #f1jjj1jjj tons1 which1 according to   
what we have been showing1 is without   
doubt1 already exceeded at present1 or  
certainly will be1 before the close of  
the undertaking4  ,we have likewise     
assumed that of the #f1jjj1jjj tons1    
#c1jjj1jjj only will take the route of  
the ,canal4  ,if we had followed the    
method of estimating adopted in the     
railway schemes1 it would be necessary  

to make a statement of all the          
merchandize exchanged between ,europe   
and ,america on the one part1 and       
,indo-,china on the other2 then to      
multiply the figure thus obtained by a  
coefficient1 never less than #c1 and    
which sometimes reaches to #aj4 ,the    
result of this operation would give an  
enormous product1 nevertheless probable4
 ,but to remain within the circle of    
ordinary ideas1 instead of tripling the 
actual figures1 we have diminished them 
by half4      ,the commercial activity  
obtained according to these     bases1  
will produce an annual revenue from     
passage     dues1 at #aj fr4 per ton1 of
                        fr4 #cj1jjj1jjj 
,for anchorage dues at ,port ,timsah1   
from half the total     number of ships1
 which we suppose will stop there2      
#a1ejj1jjj tons1 at #a fr4 per ton      
#a1ejj1jjj      ,the canal of           
communication with the ,nile1 supposing 
it only transports a fourth of the      
merchandize which     traverses the     

,mahmoudieh1 will show an activity of   
#ae1fjj     tons of merchandize1 which  
may easily pay #aj fr4 per     ton1     
since at present it costs #bg fr42 #ej  
fr4 from     ,cairo to ,suez1 by ,canal1
 and the journey takes three     days4  
,the transport by barge may be done at  
the rate of     #ab fr41 #ej2 there will
 remain an advantage of #e fr4     by   
way of the ,canal1 and the journey will 
be two days     less4 ,this item will   
therefore bring in a revenue of         
#a1efj1jjj      ,the cultivation of the 
lands produces on an average #ajj       
fr4 per feddan1 or #bej fr4 per hectare1
 as results     from the labours of     
seven years1 which one of us employed   
upon a tract reclaimed from the marshy  
desert of ,lake     ,etko4              
,supposing the ,company brings into     
cultivation only #fj1jjj     feddans    
7#bd1jjj hectares71 it would receive a  
return     of                           
#f1jjj1jjj      ,the downs which cover  
the southern part of the ,wady and      

the north-eastern part of the ,isthmus1 
as well as those     of ,lake ,timsah1  
are to be fixed4 ,let us assume that the
     ,company will perform the operation
 extensively1 and carry     the figure  
to #fj1jjj feddans 7#bd1jjj hectares74  
,we     have said that the hectare gives
 at the end of #bj     years1 a minimum 
return of #ajj fr4      ,by making the  
allowances to ascertain the actual      
revenue1     it is reduced to #da fr4   
#ej1 per hectare1 which for     #bd1jjj 
hectares1 is                            
#iif1jjj                                
----------         ,grand total of      
annual returns from the ,canal          
#dj1jef1jjj      ,from this amount must 
first be deducted two and a     half per
 cent4 for the charges of maintenance   
and     administration1 and one per     
cent4 for redemption1 in     all three  
and a half per cent4                    
#a1bja1fhj                              
----------         ,balance             
fr4 #ch1hed1cbj      ,the ,government's 

share fixed at fifteen per      cent4   
#e1hbh1adh      ,the founding members'  
share fixed at ten     per cent4        
#c1hhe1dcb                              
---------                               
#i1gac1ehj                              
----------     ,balance in favour of the
 shareholders                fr4        
#bi1adj1gdj                             
----------  ,representing a dividend of 
about ten per cent41 over and above the 
interest of five per cent41 taking the  
capital at #bjj1jjj1jjj fr4  ,we pass   
over in silence a multitude of sources  
of revenue1 which will not fail to be   
pretty considerable2 such as the supply 
of water to the population of ,suez and 
,port ,timsah1 the rent of stations for 
watering ships1 the rent of all the     
magazines and buildings1 which have been
 employed in the execution of the       
,canal1 the towing of vessels by the    
steamers purchased by the ,company for  
the service of the dredges and the      
transport of materials4  ,there are     

other branches of revenue that will     
acquire great importance hereafter2     
among others1 the fishing in the ,canal1
 the produce of the works to be         
established at the fall of each barrage 
lock1 and the sale of ,arab horses4     
,the current established by the action  
of the two barrage locks1 will draw into
 the ,canal a multitude of fish1 both   
from the ,red ,sea and the              
,mediterranean4  ,the falls of the fresh
 water ,canal will be made available to 
the agricultural operations of the      
country1 such as grinding corn1 husking 
of cotton1 peeling of flax1 laying of   
thread1 c4  ,the situation of the       
,isthmus of ,suez1 upon the confines of 
,arabia and ,syria1 which supply the    
best breeds of horses1 and whither      
,europe has always had to repair to     
regenerate the equine species1 will     
become a locality1 than which none can  
be more favourable for the formation and
 maintenance at a trifling expense1 of  
an establishment for breeding and       

rearing horses4 ,the valley ,wady       
,tomilat will again become what it was  
in the times of ,scripture1 the land of 
,goshen1 which name signifies in ,hebrew
 and ,arabic ,pastures2 the land that   
,joseph prevailed upon ,pharaoh to grant
 to the ,israelites1 because it was the 
most fertile country in ,egypt4  ,we are
 so convinced that the preceding        
estimates of revenue will be rapidly    
exceeded1 that we propose to the        
,company to have a clause inserted in   
the ,statutes by which the tariffs shall
 be lowered as soon as the dividends    
shall exceed twenty per cent41 in order 
to make the community of the world      
participators in the advantages of this 
grand and useful undertaking4  ,with    
this last observation we will terminate 
our labours1 which are only1 as their   
title indicates1 a preparatory work1    
intended to fix public opinion upon the 
merits of the undertaking1 and to lead  
discussion on to a limited and well     
defined ground4  ,these labours will be 

followed by a regular scheme1 wherein   
all the details of execution will be    
developed1 and wherein the most recent  
statistical documents1 drawn from       
official sources1 will furnish the basis
 of all the calculations of revenue4    
,we have confined ourselves in this     
preliminary exposition to the           
establishment of the approximate maximum
 presumed expenditure1 and we have      
sought to guard against any exaggeration
 in estimating the revenue4 ,all our    
calculations are based upon documents1  
which any one may verify and appreciate 
at their worth4  ,we entertain the hope1
 that the undertaking will be favourably
 received1 for there will be profit and 
honour for those who take the first part
 in it2 and it will not only offer      
incontestable advantages1 but it will be
 moreover the grandest work of progress 
and of civilization that the nineteenth 
century will have produced4      ,cairo1
 #bjth ,march1 #ahee4                   
7,signed7 ,linant ,bey4 ,mougel ,bey4   

,,appendix4  ,no4 ,v4  ,,letter ,,from  
,,the ,,grand ,,vizier1 ,,to ,,the      
,,viceroy ,,of ,,egypt4     ,,letter    
,,from ,,the ,,grand ,,vizier ,,reshid  
,,pacha ,,to ,,his ,,highness ,,mohammed
 ,,said ,,pacha1 ,,viceroy ,,of ,,egypt4
  ,translation from the ,turkish4       
,the #abth of the ,month of ,djemazul   
,akhir #abga4                           
7#ast ,march1 #ahee47  ,your very humble
 servant has the honour to address you  
as follows3--  ,m4 ,ferd4 de ,lesseps is
 about to return to your ,highness4 ,he 
is indeed1 as your ,highness was        
graciously pleased to observe to us1 a  
guest who of himself deserves all       
possible attention and consideration4   
,his object in coming here had reference
 to the affair of the ,canal2 an        
undertaking of the most useful          
character4 ,during his stay in          
,constantinople1 ,i have had the        
pleasure of seeing him several times1   
and of conversing with him at length on 
various subjects4 ,he has had the honour

 of being presented to his ,majesty the 
,sultan1 by whom he was received with   
the highest favour4  ,in conformity with
 the ,imperial order on the subject of  
the ,canal1 the question of this        
interesting undertaking is now under the
 consideration of the ,council of       
,ministers4 ,m4 de ,lesseps1 not being  
able to wait until the end of the       
conferences1 has decided on taking his  
departure4 ,i shall shortly have to     
acquaint your ,highness in detail with  
the result4                             
7,signed7 ,,moustapha ,,reshid4         
,,appendix4  ,no4 ,,vi4  ,,report ,,from
 ,m4 ,,de ,,lesseps ,,to ,,the ,,viceroy
 ,,of ,,egypt4 ,,and ,,his ,,highness'  
,,instructions4     ,,report ,,to ,,his 
,,highness ,,mohammed ,,said ,,pacha1   
,,viceroy ,,of ,,egypt4                 
,the ,camp1 ,marea1 #cjth ,april1 #ahee4
  ,i had the honour of submitting to    
your ,highness the memorial of your     
,engineers ,,mm4 ,linant ,bey1 and      
,mougel ,bey1 for the construction of   

the ,canal of the ,isthmus of ,suez4    
,this is intended as a precursory scheme
 for the cutting through the ,isthmus4  
,it is accompanied by a map indicating  
the configuration of the ground and the 
nature of the soil4 ,it has met with    
your ,highness' approval1 and you have  
requested me to give it the most        
extensive publicity in order to call the
 attention of all competent persons in  
,europe and ,america to a question which
 interests the whole world1 and to      
invite their examination and            
observations4  444  ,your ,highness has 
decided to send immediately1 to the     
,counsellors of ,his ,imperial ,majesty 
the ,sultan1 the explanations which they
 require for the ratification of the    
scheme for the communication of the two 
,seas4  ,for my own part ,i shall       
proceed immediately to ,europe1 ,i shall
 make it my especial business to get the
 official documents relative to the     
affair as well as the precursory scheme 
of ,,mm4 ,linant ,bey1 and ,mougel ,bey1

 printed and published4 ,arrangements   
will be made in order to collect within 
a limited time the opinions of those    
competent persons who shall be willing  
to aid the enterprise with their        
information and suggestions4 ,in the    
mean time your engineers will be        
preparing the elements of their         
definitive scheme4  ,agents will be     
appointed in every country to collect   
the communications and arrange the      
correspondence4  ,when the definitive   
scheme of the engineers is completed1   
and when the remarks received from each 
country have furnished a mass of        
information1 a commission will be       
appointed1 composed of engineers of     
known ability in hydraulic operations1  
and chosen in ,england1 ,france1        
,germany1 ,italy and ,holland4 ,this    
commission will give its opinion upon   
the scheme of your ,highness'           
,engineers1 and point out the           
modifications1 or alterations which it  
shall think proper to be adopted4 ,every

 means shall be placed at the disposal  
of the ,commission for visiting the     
,isthmus of ,suez1 should it be         
considered necessary to see the         
localities before deciding4  ,your      
,highness has been pleased to limit at  
present the consideration of the track4 
,after having passed in review the      
numerous schemes presented to           
,governments1 or to the public1 for more
 than fifty years1 you give full liberty
 for the application of the means that  
science shall recognize to be best for  
making a communication between the ,red 
,sea and the ,mediterranean1 by cutting 
through the ,isthmus of ,suez at any    
point of the ,isthmus1 eastward of the  
course of the ,nile2 but you have       
declared that you will not authorize the
 ,grand ,maritime ,suez ,canal ,company 
to adopt any track that might have its  
point of departure on the coast of the  
,mediterranean eastward of the ,damietta
 branch1 and which would cross the      
,nile4  ,it will not be until after the 

adoption of the track of communication  
between the two ,seas1 and when all the 
advantages and all the responsibilities 
of those who take part in the enterprise
 are clearly determined1 that           
capitalists and the public will be      
invited to subscribe for shares1 and the
 representatives of those interested    
will finally decide upon all questions  
affecting the administration1 the       
execution and carrying out of the       
undertaking4  ,allow me now to point out
 to your ,highness1 the preparatory     
operations to which ,,mm4 ,linant ,bey  
and ,mougel ,bey have to apply          
themselves previous to presenting their 
definitive scheme4  ,they have--  #ast4 
,to trace out on the ground the line of 
the ,maritime ,canal in detail1 with all
 its angles and curves1 and transfer the
 line so traced on to a plan4  #bnd4 ,to
 take the levels throughout this line1  
extending them into the two ,seas to a  
depth of ten metres of water4  #crd4 ,to
 make profile sections wherever the     

formation of the ground requires it4    
#dth4 ,to take soundings along the line1
 and carry them out to a depth of ten   
metres below the level of low water in  
the ,mediterranean4  #eth4 ,to collect  
specimens of the various soils met with 
in their operations4  #fth4 ,to settle  
the prime cost of manual labour and of  
all the materials that will be employed 
in the construction of the ,canal4      
#gth4 ,to establish positive data that  
will serve to estimate the number of    
workmen of all kinds necessary for the  
execution of the works4  ,for my own    
part1 ,i shall make it my business to   
collect the most recent statistical     
documents that will afford the means of 
ascertaining positively the minimum     
valuation of the returns4  ,when the    
time has arrived for commencing the     
works of the ,maritime ,canal1 a large  
number of machines1 and a considerable  
quantity of materials1 timber1 iron1    
coal1 c4 c41 ought to be procured from  
,europe4 ,the ,suez ,canal ,company will

 find the advantages of certainty1      
economy and facility of transport1 which
 do not exist at present1 in the        
continuation of the railway to ,suez1   
and the establishment of the ,towing    
,society1 with which is connected the   
amelioration of the ,mahmoudieh ,canal1 
and also its communication with the port
 of ,alexandria4  444  ,the             
communications which ,i have received   
from ,europe bear witness to the        
ever-increasing interest with which the 
scheme of opening the ,isthmus of ,suez 
is everywhere received4  ,amongst those 
who have spontaneously offered me their 
co-operation1 there are some who have   
placed considerable sums at my disposal 
as a contribution to the preliminary    
expenses of the undertaking4 ,these     
offers already amount to more than      
#ae1jjj1jjj francs4 ,i have not thought 
it proper to avail myself of them1 but  
,i have noted the names of those who    
have made them in order that they may   
take their appropriate place in the list

 of subscribers4  ,certain founding     
members have already been named2 they   
have subscribed an engagement1 under    
conditions1 to contribute to the        
expenses preliminary to the regular     
organization of the ,company4 ,the first
 list of founding members1 fulfilling   
the conditions required by ,art4 #aa1 of
 your ,highness's ,firman1 contains     
fifty-five names belonging both to      
,egypt and to ,europe4 ,your ,highness  
who leaves to me the charge of          
completing this list by the addition of 
persons of all countries who shall      
actually contribute to the establishment
 of the work1 has desired that the total
 number should not exceed #ajj if it can
 be avoided4  ,your ,highness has been  
pleased to approve of the provisional   
appointment of ,m4 ,ruyssenaers1 ,consul
 ,general of the ,netherlands1 as       
principal agent of the ,company in      
,egypt2 he deserves in every respect    
this mark of confidence4  ,such are the 
preliminary proceedings that have       

appeared to your ,highness calculated to
 promote the success of your grand      
enterprise4  ,i beg your ,highness to   
inform me whether ,i have fully         
understood your intentions4             
7,signed7 ,,ferd4 ,,de ,,lesseps4  ,,my 
,,attached ,,friend ,m4 ,,ferdinand ,,de
 ,,lesseps1 ,,of ,,high ,,birth ,,and   
,,elevated ,,rank4  ,i have made myself 
acquainted with the report which you    
addressed to me on the #cjth of ,april1 
and ,i approve the document which is to 
serve you in place of instructions4 ,i  
appreciate the zeal which you have      
displayed in this affair1 and the       
friendly interest you have taken in it  
has afforded me real satisfaction4      
#c ,ramadan1 #abga4                     
7,the ,viceroy's ,seal47  ,a true       
translation of the ,turkish text4       
,k,,nig ,,bey1                          
,secretary of ,mandates                 
to ,his ,highness the ,viceroy4         
,alexandria1 ,may #ai1 #ahee4           
,,appendix4  ,no4 ,,vii4  ,,opinion ,,of

 ,,mr4 ,,anderson4     ,,opinion ,,of   
,,mr ,,anderson4#e   ,the interest which
 has recently been manifested in the    
improvement of our means of             
communication with ,india1 ,china1 c4 vi
 ,egypt and the ,red ,sea1 seems to have
 revived the speculations1 first        
broached during the occupation of ,egypt
 by the ,french forces under ,napoleon1 
as to the feasibility of opening a      
communication between the ,red ,sea and 
the ,mediterranean by a ,canal through  
the ,isthmus of ,suez4  ,various        
statements upon this subject have lately
 appeared in the newspapers and         
periodicals1 both of this country and   
the ,continent1 and a kind of prospectus
 proposing the formation of a ,company  
to execute the undertaking1 has just    
been put in circulation in ,london4     
,these statements and speculations1 in  
so far as they have come under the      
cognizance of the writer of the         
following pages1 are1 in a great        
measure1 superficial1 crude1 or         

erroneous1#f and1 therefore1 calculated 
to mislead rather than inform the public
 in regard to the practicability and    
utility of an enterprise1 whose         
importance it is scarcely possible to   
overrate1 considering the nature and    
magnitude of the interests which would  
be involved in its successful           
accomplishment4  ,the writer has had the
 means of obtaining information relative
 to this matter1 which he considers may 
be relied on1 and having devoted much of
 his attention to this ,canal question1 
he deems the present time opportune for 
submitting to the public some facts and 
observations tending1 he ventures to    
believe1 to lead to more correct        
conclusions on this very interesting    
subject than any which have as yet been 
published4  ,these facts and            
observations will be found arranged     
under the following heads3--            
#a4--,the physical practicability of the
 enterprise4      #b4--,the political   
arrangements requisite for effecting it4

      #c4--,the advantages or           
disadvantages of navigating by the      
proposed ,canal route1 as compared with 
the route by the ,cape of     ,good     
,hope4      #d4--;,financial            
considerations4      #e4--;,general     
observations as to the political1       
commercial1 and     moral benefits which
 would be derived from the              
accomplishment     of the undertaking4  
,that facility of intercourse creates   
commerce1 and commerce carries with it  
civilization1 is an axiom founded on    
universal experience4  ,where seeming   
exceptions to it are found1 they may be 
traced to the blind selfishness of human
 legislation1 counteracting the natural 
laws established by the all-wise and    
beneficent ,governor of the universe4   
,a project1 therefore1 which1 by        
severing two continents1 proposes to    
change the whole course of commerce and 
communication between the eastern and   
western worlds1 and approximate by many 
thousand miles the knowledge and        

industry of the west to the ignorance   
and barbarism of the east1 presents     
considerations of a nature to excite the
 imagination1 and to awaken some of our 
best feelings in its favour4  ,in       
dealing with it1 the writer1 however1   
purposes to limit himself to a strictly 
practical view of the subject4 ,he will 
state his facts with accuracy1--place   
every circumstance1 whether for or      
against the undertaking1 as far as his  
information enables him to judge1       
impartially before the reader1--and thus
 leave him to form his own opinion as to
 the practicability of accomplishing the
 contemplated enterprise1 and of its    
utility should it be accomplished4  ,the
 writer deems it proper to add1 that the
 matter was some time since submitted by
 him to the consideration of ,her       
,majesty's ,government1 and that the    
extract from ,m4 ,linant's ,survey of   
the ,isthmus1 herein given1 appears in  
the 8,commercial ,tariffs1 ,regulations1
 c41 of ,foreign ,countries1 part #aj1  

presented to both ,houses of            
,parliament1 by command of ,her         
,majesty1 #adth ,july1 #ahdc10 being    
part of those valuable compilations1 for
 which it is well known the country is  
indebted to the talents and industry of 
,mr4 ,macgregor1 of the ,board of       
,trade4   ,,physical ,,practicability   
,,of ,,the ,,enterprise4  ,the          
improvement of our communication with   
the ,east has been1 for some time past1 
an object of much public solicitude1 and
 in proportion to the progress made in  
its developement1 its importance becomes
 more and more manifest4 ,the           
establishment of a steam communication  
with ,india1 c41 vi the ,mediterranean  
and the ,red ,sea1 although as yet only 
in its infancy1 has already been        
productive of considerable benefit1 both
 to ,great ,britain and her ,oriental   
dependencies4  ,but1 although the steam 
communication presents a greatly        
improved means of transit by this route 
for passengers and letters1 it cannot1  

except in a comparatively very limited  
degree1 be made available for the       
general purposes of commerce4 ,the      
transport of all articles of merchandize
 of moderate value1 compared to their   
bulk or weight1 must1 from the small    
stowage-room afforded by steam vessels1 
and the expense of the transit across   
,egypt1 continue to be effected by means
 of sailing vessels navigating by the   
long and circuitous route round the     
,cape of ,good ,hope4  ,the principal   
object1 therefore1 of the contemplated  
,canal1 would be to open a shorter route
 between ,europe and the ,east1 which   
could be availed of by sailing as well  
as by steam vessels1 and thus serve the 
general purposes of commercial          
intercourse4  ,previously to proceeding 
to treat of the practicability of       
opening such a canal1 it may be proper  
to explain how it has fallen to my lot  
to deal with this subject3--  ,in the   
year #ahda1 ,i visited ,egypt4 ,while   
there1 my attention was1 among other    

matters1 directed to the question which 
has so frequently been mooted1 although 
never hitherto1 ,i think1 satisfactorily
 treated1 viz4 the practicability of    
re-opening the ancient ,canal through   
the ,isthmus of ,suez1 said to have once
 joined the ,red ,sea and the           
,mediterranean4  ,in following up this  
object1 ,i became acquainted with ,m4   
,adolphe ,linant1 of ,cairo1 a ,french  
,civil ,engineer1 of considerable       
reputation1 and who has been in the     
employ of the ,pacha of ,egypt1 for1 ,i 
believe1 upwards of twenty years4  ,i   
found that ,m4 ,linant had devoted a    
great deal of time and labour to the    
practical investigation of this subject1
 had recently completed an elaborate    
survey of the ,isthmus1 and was in      
possession of much detailed information 
derived from a personal examination of  
the localities through which the        
proposed ,canal would have to be cut4   
,under certain conditions ,i induced him
 to furnish me with a memoir on the     

subject1 accompanied by a manuscript map
 of his ,survey of the ,isthmus of      
,suez1 and of ,lower ,egypt1 in which   
the site of the ancient and track of the
 proposed ,canal are laid down with     
great minuteness4 ,in short1 the map1   
now in my possession1 which is on a     
large scale1 contains a far more        
complete view of ,lower ,egypt than any 
hitherto executed4   ,,political        
,,arrangements4  ,the co-operation1 or1 
at least1 the concurrence of the ,pacha 
of ,egypt would be indispensable4       
,having suggested the expediency of the 
interposition of one or more of the     
,european powers to remove any political
 impediments which might stand in the   
way of this enterprise1 it appears      
necessary to take a brief view of the   
interest which they would each have in  
promoting it4  ,great ,britain1 from the
 vast extent of her commerce and        
political connections with the ,east1   
would1 undoubtedly1 derive the greatest 
advantage from it2 but most of the other

 nations of ,europe would derive benefit
 in proportion to the extent of their   
commerce2 and those1 having ports in the
 ,mediterranean and ,levant1 or indeed  
anywhere nearer to the proposed         
communication than the ports of ,great  
,britain1 would gain more in proportion4
  ,holland1 next to ,great ,britain1    
would1 from the extent of her trade with
 the ,east1 have a direct interest in   
the accomplishment of the proposed      
enterprise4 ,her commerce would be      
improved1 and her political connection  
with her extensive colonies of ,java1   
c41 would be much strengthened by it4   
,france would derive most important     
benefits4 ,it would create almost a new 
commerce for her1 in which1 through her 
ports in the ,mediterranean1 she would  
have the advantage over us in importing 
direct the indigo1 c41 of ,india1 of    
which she requires such large quantities
 for the use of her manufactories1 while
 the shorter route which would be opened
 to ,india1 c41 would give a stimulus to

 her exports4  ,austria1 there is every 
reason to believe1 would give a cordial 
support to the undertaking4 ,she is     
making active and judicious efforts to  
extend and improve her commerce2 and    
there is little doubt of her            
co-operation in promoting an undertaking
 so well calculated to further her views
 in that respect4 ,the merchants of     
,trieste have been the first to avail   
themselves of an arrangement which the  
writer of this succeeded about two years
 since in effecting with the ,pacha of  
,egypt1 by which he agreed to relinquish
 the high rate of transit duties in     
,egypt1 imposed by the treaties with the
 ,porte1 and to substitute as low a rate
 of duty as would admit of the transit  
through ,egypt of goods to and from     
,india1 c4 ,under this arrangement1 two 
cargoes of ,india produce have been     
already brought from ,bengal to ,suez in
 sailing vessels1 thence transported    
across ,egypt to ,alexandria1 whence    
they were brought to ,trieste4  ,the    

,chamber of ,commerce of that port are1 
it is well known1 anxious to extend     
their trade with the ,east in this      
direction2 and it is stated1 that a     
proposal was1 a short time since1 made  
by some ,austrian capitalists to the    
,pacha1 for opening a ,canal through the
 ,isthmus4  ,greece would obtain a      
decided benefit by it4 ,her numerous    
small vessels would be well adapted for 
trading with the ports of ,africa and   
,arabia in the ,red ,sea1 and they would
 soon be seen covering these coasts4    
,italy1 ,turkey1 ,spain1 ,portugal1     
,belgium1 the minor northern states1 and
 even ,america1 would all participate   
more or less in the improved route for  
eastern commerce1 and1 taking a just    
view of their own interests1 would hail 
it as a benefit4  ,even ,russia1        
although possessed of an over-land      
communication with ,central ,asia1      
,india1 and ,china1 would gain an       
advantage by the ,canal1 as she could   
open a maritime intercourse with the    

east through her ports in the ,black    
,sea1 which would be less costly1 and   
susceptible of greater extension than a 
land transit4  ,it hence appears1 that  
all the ,european powers would have an  
interest1 more or less1 in promoting    
this enterprise2 and there appears to be
 reasonable grounds for concluding1 that
 if requested by one or more of the     
first-rate powers1 either to undertake  
the work himself1 or permit it to be    
undertaken by private capitalists1 under
 such an arrangement as would connect   
his name with it1 and secure to himself 
and his descendants a pecuniary benefit 
from it1 as already suggested1 ,mehemet 
,ali would be induced to co-operate in  
it4  ,the guardianship of such a passage
 between ,europe and the ,east1 would   
serve to enhance the importance of his  
political position1 and to strengthen   
those relations of mutual interest      
between the ruler of ,egypt1 and the    
communities of ,europe1 which would form
 the most efficacious guarantee for the 

continuance of the ,government of ,egypt
 in the family of ,mehemet ,ali4  ,the  
association of his name with so         
magnificent an enterprise1 would1 ,i    
consider1 be another powerful motive to 
a man so ardently imbued with the love  
of fame4  ,should a firman or other     
formal act from the ,sultan of the      
,ottoman ,empire1 in his character of   
sovereign of the soil1 be deemed        
requisite for securing a permanent and  
indisputable right to make and keep open
 the ,canal1 ,i should suggest that     
point being left to the management of   
the ,pacha1 who1 ,i have some reason to 
think1 would obtain it much more easily 
and promptly than if it were attempted  
through the medium of ,european         
diplomacy4   ,,advantages ,,of          
,,navigating ,,by ,,the ,,canal ,,route1
 ,,as ,,compared ,,with ,,the ,,route   
,,by ,,the ,,cape ,,of ,,good ,,hope4   
,before entering on a comparison of     
these two routes with regard to their   
navigation by sailing vessels1 it may be

 well to consider what advantages the   
contemplated ,canal would afford in     
facilitating the steam communication    
with the ,east vi ,egypt and the ,red   
,sea1 commonly1 though very erroneously1
 denominated 8the ,overland ,route40    
,in order to make this properly         
understood1 it will be necessary to give
 a brief account of the present         
arrangements for the transit through    
,egypt of the mails1 passengers1 and    
packages1 to and from ,india1 ,china1 c4
  ,it is1 no doubt1 generally known1    
that this communication is carried on by
 the steamers of a private ,company1    
which ply monthly between ,southampton  
and ,alexandria1 touching at ,gibraltar 
and ,malta1 and by smaller steamers     
belonging to the ,east ,india ,company1 
which ply monthly between ,bombay and   
,suez1 chiefly for the purpose of       
conveying the mails4 ,the private       
,company have now also placed two steam 
ships1 the 8,hindostan10 and the        
8,bentinck10 of #ahjj tons1 and #ebj    

horse power each1 to ply between ,suez  
and ,calcutta1 touching at ,aden1       
,ceylon1 and ,madras4 ,the vessels of   
that ,company1 both on this side of     
,egypt1 as well as on the other side1   
convey goods as well as passengers1 and 
the mails2 but the ,east ,india         
,company's vessels plying between ,suez 
and ,bombay1 do not receive goods1 and  
have but limited1 and comparatively     
inferior accommodations for passengers4 
,the mails1 passengers1 and packages1   
are1 of course1 disembarked from the    
steamers coming from ,england at        
,alexandria1 and are re-embarked at     
,suez in the steamers proceeding to     
,india on the outward route1 and vice   
vers on the homeward route4  ,it now    
remains to show how their transit across
 ,egypt1 between ,alexandria on the     
,mediterranean1 and ,suez on the ,red   
,sea1 is effected1 with the present cost
 of it1 in order to estimate how far it 
would be improved by the contemplated   
,canal communication4  ,i shall now     

proceed to consider what advantages the 
,canal would present to sailing vessels 
navigating between ,europe and the      
,east4      ,the distance from the      
,english ,channel to ,calcutta1 vi      
the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 by the route  
taken by the best     sailing vessels1  
may be put down at                      
miles #ac1jjj      ,vi the              
,mediterranean1 the ,red ,sea1 and      
,indian ,ocean1     it is about         
#h1jjj      ,gain in distance by the    
latter route1 to or from ,calcutta      
#e1jjj      ,by the ,cape route to      
,bombay it is about                     
#aa1ejj      ,by the ,red ,sea route    
#f1bjj      ,gain in distance to or from
 ,bombay                                
#e1cjj  ,this is1 of course1 assuming   
the navigation by the ,mediterranean and
 ,red ,sea route to be of equal facility
 with the ,cape route4 ,and ,i shall now
 endeavour to examine this part of the  
question with the accuracy which its    
importance demands4  ,the first point   

which presents itself in this           
consideration1 is the influence of the  
monsoons1 or periodical winds1 which    
prevail throughout the ,indian ,seas1   
and in the southern part of the ,red    
,sea4  ,the south-west monsoon1 which   
blows much stronger than the north-east 
monsoon1 prevails in the ,indian ,ocean1
 between the east coast of ,africa and  
the coasts of ,india1 c41 from ,may     
until ,october1 blowing with the        
greatest force during the months of     
,june1 ,july1 and ,august4  ,the        
north-east monsoon prevails from        
,october to ,may1 but is of much less   
force than the south-west monsoon4  ,in 
order to estimate the difficulties or   
advantages of these periodical winds1 to
 a sailing vessel navigating by the ,red
 ,sea1 as compared with the route by the
 ,cape of ,good ,hope1 we must1 for     
vessels bound to or from the most       
important commercial ports in           
,india--the ,presidencies of ,madras and
 ,bengal1 as also ,ceylon1 ,singapore1  

,java1 ,china1 c41 suppose her placed at
 a point a few degrees to the southward 
of ,ceylon from or to which she would   
have to proceed1 whether navigating by  
the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 or by the ,red
 ,sea route4  ,now1 it is well known1   
that from this position a vessel        
steering for the coast of ,africa       
towards ,cape ,guardafui 7the southern  
extremity of the ,gulf of ,aden71 and   
thence to the ,straits of               
,bab-el-,mandeb 7the entrance of the    
,red ,sea71 would carry the wind a-beam1
 and could therefore make her passage to
 or from the ,straits of                
,bab-el-,mandeb1 and the given point to 
the southward of ,ceylon1 during the    
whole of the south-west monsoon4  ,as   
the north-east monsoon blows in an      
exactly opposite direction to the       
south-west monsoon1 and is much more    
moderate1 a sailing vessel could make   
good her course between the ,red ,sea   
and the same point south of ,ceylon1    
equally well as in the south-west       

monsoon1 and therefore during the whole 
year could effect this part of the      
passage with tolerable certainty4       
,vessels proceeding to or from ,bombay  
would have to arrange their passages to 
suit the monsoons4 ,sailing from        
,england1 or other places in ,europe1 so
 as to have the south-west monsoon in   
their favour2 and sailing from ,bombay  
for ,europe so as to have the north-east
 monsoon in their favour4  ,it hence    
appears that the monsoons present no    
particular difficulties in the voyage   
between ,india1 c4 and the entrance of  
the ,red ,sea1 more than in the ordinary
 route by the ,cape of ,good ,hope2 but 
that1 on the contrary1 for ships trading
 with the eastern and most important    
parts of ,hindostan1 and to ,ceylon1    
,malacca1 ,singapore1 ,java1 ,china1 c4 
this part of the voyage would be made   
with more certainty than an equal       
distance in the ,indian ,ocean1 of a    
voyage by the ,cape of ,good ,hope      
route4   ,,the ,,red ,,sea ,,passage4   

,the length of the ,red ,sea from the   
,straits of ,bab-el-,mandeb to ,suez is 
#abjj miles1 its medium breadth about   
#aej miles1 and its direction nearly ,n4
 ,n4 ,w4 and ,s4 ,s4 ,e4  ,its coasts on
 either side are fringed with coral     
rocks1 which render it dangerous in     
navigating it to approach near its      
shores4  ,in the southern part of it1   
say from the latitude of ,jidda to      
,bab-el-,mandeb1 being about one-half of
 its whole length1 the southerly monsoon
 predominates nearly two-thirds of the  
year1 commencing in ,october and ending 
in ,may or ,june4 ,the northerly winds  
then set in1 and continue about four    
months1 say ,june1 ,july1 ,august1 and  
,september4  ,outside the ,red ,sea1 in 
the ,gulf of ,aden1 the wind generally  
prevails from the eastward for six      
months1 say1 from ,october to ,may1 and 
from the westward during the other part 
of the year4  ,in the northern part of  
the sea1 from ,jidda to ,suez1 but more 
particularly near to ,suez1 the         

prevailing winds for nine months of the 
year are northerly1 and in the months of
 ,june1 ,july1 and ,august1 it is very  
difficult for sailing vessels to beat up
 to ,suez4 ,in this part of the ,red    
,sea southerly breezes are at all times 
but of short duration4  ,the best time  
for vessels to sail from ,suez for      
,india1 c4 is therefore about the end of
 ,august1 which will enable them to     
clear the ,straits of ,bab-el-,mandeb in
 ,september1 before the easterly winds  
commence in the ,gulf outside4  ,from   
all these facts it will appear1  #ast4  
,that the passage between ,india1 c41   
and the ,gulf of ,aden1 may be made with
 ordinary facility by sailing vessels4  
#bnd4 ,that some delay would be         
experienced by sailing vessels in the   
,gulf of ,aden during certain portions  
of the year1 whether bound to or from   
,india2 and also by vessels coming from 
,india1 in the northern part of the ,red
 ,sea1 during the greater part of the   
year4  ,against these difficulties in   

the ,red ,sea route must1 however1 be   
set off the delays by calms and contrary
 winds1 between the trades experienced  
by vessels navigating by the ,cape      
route4 ,in order to ascertain how nearly
 they may balance each other1 and       
consequently whether a saving of time in
 navigating by the ,mediterranean and   
,red ,sea1 proportionate to the shorter 
distance1 as compared with the voyage   
round the ,cape of ,good ,hope1 might be
 effected1 ,i would beg leave to submit 
the following questions to the          
consideration of experienced nautical   
men4  #ast4 ,is the navigation by a     
sailing vessel1 between ,england and    
,pelusium1 say #cjjj miles1 of equal    
facility as a similar distance from     
,england on the ,cape route8  #bnd4 ,is 
the navigation to or from the given     
point1 to the southward of ,ceylon and  
,cape ,guardafui1 more certain than that
 of an equal distance between the same  
point and the ,cape of ,good ,hope8     
#crd4 ,would the impediments in the     

navigation of the ,red ,sea and ,gulf of
 ,aden1 already pointed out1 be greater 
or less than those experienced from     
calms and contrary winds between the    
trades in navigating by the ,cape of    
,good ,hope route8 ,and1 assuming that  
the answer to the second query should be
 in favour of the ,red ,sea route1 would
 that gain set off against the          
difficulties of navigating the ,red ,sea
 and ,gulf of ,aden1 and reduce the     
latter to a par with the impediments    
between the trades just alluded to8     
#dth4 ,would not the nature of the coast
 of ,egypt1 at the embouchure of the    
,canal in the ,mediterranean1 present   
considerable difficulty and danger to   
sailing vessels approaching it for the  
purpose of seeking the ,canal entrance8 
,the coast1 it is well known1 for a     
distance of upwards of #aej miles to the
 eastward1 as well as to the westward of
 the ,canal entrance1 is destitute of   
any sheltered anchorage1 is exceedingly 
low1 and not easily discoverable until  

within a short distance of it1 and very 
shallow at a distance of two leagues    
from the shore4 ,a good light on the    
pier or breakwater might obviate some of
 the danger1 but still it is to be      
apprehended1 that sailing vessels       
approaching this part of the coast1 with
 the wind strong from the north and     
north-west1 and which is very prevalent1
 would incur considerable risk of       
getting embayed and being driven ashore4
  ,if the result of this investigation  
should be such as to place the          
difficulties and facilities of each     
route on a par1 it will then follow that
 a gain in time of from four to six     
weeks would be effected in navigating to
 or from ,india1 c4 by the proposed     
,canal1 as compared with the ,cape of   
,good ,hope route4  ,before concluding  
this part of the subject1 ,i think it   
well to advert to another objection     
which may possibly be raised against the
 ,canal passage1 namely1 the difficulty 
of tracking a vessel of heavy burthen   

through the ,canal1 from the            
,mediterranean to the ,red ,sea1 against
 a current of three to four miles an    
hour1 which would be the velocity of the
 stream constantly flowing from the ,red
 ,sea to the ,mediterranean4  ,to this  
may be answered1 that the same northerly
 winds which prevail as already stated1 
for the greater part of the year1 in the
 upper or northern part of the ,red     
,sea1 also blow across the ,isthmus1 and
 consequently the vessel would be for   
the most part able to stem the current  
by using her sails4 ,in default of this1
 a sufficient number of dromedaries     
would track a vessel of almost any size1
 or posts placed along the banks of the 
,canal for warping would effect the     
object on occasions1 which would be of  
but rare occurrence1 of a failure of    
wind4  ,it is to be considered also1    
that as the beds of the ,bitter ,lakes  
and of the ,lake ,timsah1 would form two
 very extensive basins in the course of 
the ,canal1 nearly half-way between the 

,mediterranean and the ,red ,sea1 these 
would become halting places or inland   
ports1 and here steam tugs would no     
doubt1 among other accessories1 be      
found1 should the ,canal ever become a  
general channel of intercourse4  ,from  
the ,red ,sea to the ,mediterranean the 
vessel would1 of course1 be carried     
along by the stream4   ,,general        
,,observations ,,as ,,to ,,the          
,,political1 ,,commercial1 ,,and ,,moral
 ,,benefits ,,which ,,would ,,be        
,,derived ,,from ,,the ,,accomplishment 
,,of ,,the ,,undertaking4  ,in a        
political point of view1 the facilities 
which the ,canal passage1 combined with 
steam navigation1 would afford to ,great
 ,britain1 as regards the government of 
her ,indian empire and dependencies1 are
 almost incalculable4  ,from ,malta     
troops could be placed in ,bombay in    
three weeks2 in ,ceylon and ,madras in  
four weeks2 and in ,calcutta in five    
weeks4 ,and by means of the frequent    
intermediate coast communication in     

,india1 which the extended and          
comprehensive plan of steam navigation  
anticipated to result from the opening  
of the ,canal passage would afford1     
troops and stores could be rapidly moved
 from one station to another4  ,let any 
military man compare this with the      
present mode of effecting similar       
operations4 ,the long sea voyage by the 
,cape of ,good ,hope1 of four or five   
months1 in a sailing vessel2--the men   
worn out1 and requiring almost as many  
months more after debarkation1 to       
recruit their health and strength1 so as
 to be fit for active duty2--the length 
of time1 and great fatigue1 in moving   
between distant military stations2--and 
,i think he will admit1 that ,india     
might1 with the facility alluded to1 be 
efficiently governed with one-half the  
number of ,european troop which is now  
required4 ,the facility for despatching 
ships of war1 and stores of all kinds1  
to or from ,india1 c41 need only be     
glanced at to be at once appreciated4   

,the stability of ,british power in     
,india would be thus increased1 while   
the cost of maintaining it would be     
considerably diminished4  ,to estimate  
the importance of the proposed          
communication in a commercial point of  
view1 it is necessary to take into      
consideration the extent of the field of
 operations for commerce1 which the vast
 and populous regions of the ,east      
present4 ,india contains #ajj1jjj1jjj of
 subjects of the ,british ,crown1 and   
there are #ej1jjj1jjj of adjacent       
tributaries and allies2 in all1         
#aej1jjj1jjj in the ,peninsula of       
,hindostan1 exclusive of the island of  
,ceylon4 ,little has as yet been done to
 stimulate the people to improve their  
resources and ameliorate their condition
 and habits2 but of late years more     
attention has been directed to these    
objects1 and the trade with ,british    
,india has been rapidly on the increase4
  ,china contains1 it is estimated1 not 
less than #cej1jjj1jjj of inhabitants1  

said to be inclined to industry1 and to 
be peculiarly addicted to traffic4 ,a   
timid and jealous system of government  
has for ages hermetically sealed1 as it 
were1 this vast country and population  
from intercourse with the rest of the   
world4 ,british valour has now removed  
the barrier1 and opened this almost new 
world to ,european commerce4  ,let us   
suppose that the people of ,india and   
,china should1 from improved            
intercourse1 require to the extent of   
one shilling per annum1 for each        
individual1 in value of ,british        
manufacture or produce4 ,even this      
seemingly insignificant amount would    
produce an annual increase of           
#be1jjj1jjj in our exports4 ,the opening
 of the ,canal route would tend greatly 
to facilitate our intercourse with the  
#ejj1jjj1jjj of people who inhabit      
,india and ,china1 and hence its        
commercial importance must be           
sufficiently obvious4  ,the application 
of steam power to the purposes of       

navigation1 is doubtless one of those   
mechanical discoveries destined to      
effect a great moral revolution in the  
human mind throughout the world4 ,the   
printing press has contributed1 in an   
immense degree1 to the progress of      
civilization1 by furnishing a means for 
the spread of thought4 ,but it seems    
scarcely to admit of a question1 that   
the power of steam1 applied to          
navigation1 will exercise a more        
extensive1 a more rapid1 and a more     
efficacious influence in accelerating   
the civilization of the world than even 
the printing press4  ,five hundred      
millions of human beings inhabiting     
,hindostan and ,china remain to this day
 enslaved by debasing superstitions1 and
 sunk in mental darkness and delusion4  
,what a field is here opening to the    
,christian philanthropist6 ,to aid in   
the removal of ignorance and            
superstition by the diffusion of useful 
knowledge1 and an enlightened religion2 
to plant industry and the arts where    

indolence and barbarism have hitherto   
prevailed1 are noble efforts1 tending no
 less to elevate those who engage in    
them1 than the object of their          
exertions4 ,the opening of the proposed 
communication would obviously subserve  
the promotion of such objects1 and      
therefore can scarcely fail to excite an
 interest in the mind of every sincere  
well-wisher to his fellow creatures4    
,the preceding statement and            
observations will1 ,i trust1 be         
sufficient to show that the object of   
which they treat is1 at least1 of       
sufficient importance to warrant an     
effort being made to ascertain1 in the  
manner suggested1 whether it be         
practicable or not1 and if found        
practicable1 whether1 and in what       
manner1 the ,pacha of ,egypt would be   
disposed to concur or co-operate in it4 
,if the information and suggestions     
therein given should lead to such a     
result1 the chief object of their       
publication will be attained4           

,,appendix4  ,no4 ,,viii4  ,,opinion    
,,of ,,captain ,,james ,,vetch1 ,r4,e4  
,,opinion ,,of ,,captain ,,james        
,,vetch1 ,r4,e4#g   ,a good deal is     
alleged by those trading from ,britain  
to the ,east ,indies against the policy 
of any part of the ,british nation      
lending patronage to such an            
undertaking1 which1 it is presumed1     
would benefit the countries bordering   
the ,mediterranean more than our own2   
though1 if the canal in question would  
be the means of most materially         
shortening the distance between the two 
most important portions of the ,british 
,empire1 little doubt can be entertained
 of the benefit conferred on the        
extensive commerce of the two countries1
 even though some other nations would   
receive a greater proportional advantage
 in the accomplishment of the measure2  
and though the commerce of other nations
 might increase in a greater ratio than 
the ,british1 still all would           
participate in facilities to be         

obtained2 and in the case of war        
arising1 it is but too obvious1 that the
 power possessing a naval superiority   
has the means of closing such a channel 
of commerce to its enemies1 by          
stationing cruisers at each extremity4  
,so much may be urged with a view of    
removing the prejudice of ,british      
interests against the measure2 but it   
will readily be believed1 that if the   
,british fail to patronize the          
undertaking1 other nations and powers   
will do so shortly3 and it is therefore 
manifest1 if ,british subjects were     
chiefly concerned in advancing the      
capital1 and in executing and managing  
this great work1 it would be vastly more
 for the benefit of ,britain1 than if   
any other nation or ,government lent    
their resources4 ,but undertake it who  
may1 it is most probable1 that both the 
funds and the energies of execution will
 come from this country2 and it is too  
probable1 that if the measure is        
executed by any other parties than      

,british1 the work will be upon a       
cheaper and less effective plan of      
navigation1 permitting only small craft 
to navigate1 unfit for ,british commerce
 in the ,east1 though sufficient for the
 small traders in the ,mediterranean1   
who would consequently1 in such a case1 
reap the entire benefit4 ,i am decidedly
 of opinion1 that ,british capital and  
,british energy would alone execute the 
work in a truly useful and permanent    
style4 ,but the measure is daily        
becoming so much more obvious as one of 
practical facility1 that it cannot long 
be postponed in some shape or another4  
,the conclusions may now be             
recapitulated in general terms3--  #ast4
 ,that a ship canal between the two     
,seas1 which contemplates an extended   
commerce between the countries of       
,europe and the ,indian ,ocean1 should  
be free from the effects of all         
fluctuating causes1 arising from        
inundations or floods1 c4  #bnd4 ,that  
it should be a measure irrespective of  

the commerce of ,egypt and the ,nile1 or
 rather that it could not combine these 
objects in the same measure1 with any   
good results2 though it would be the    
means of greatly improving the commerce 
of ,egypt by accessory measures4  #crd4 
,that the mean fall from the level of   
the ,red ,sea to that of the            
,mediterranean 7say thirty feet7 is     
sufficient to keep the artificial       
channel clean1 if the fall be properly  
economised2 and also that it would be   
able to preserve its mouth in the ,bay  
of ,pelusium in a navigable state at all
 seasons4  #dth4 ,that a navigation of  
still water with locks could not be long
 maintained with advantage1 under all   
the circumstances of the case4  #eth4   
,that a broad and deep stream like that 
of the ,dardanelles could not be        
produced by natural operations1 assisted
 slightly by art2 but that the attempt  
would be pregnant with mischief in some 
quarters1 and result in disappointment4 
#fth4 ,that a direct and perfectly      

controllable channel1 of a uniform size 
and shape and incline1 would be the     
safest and most appropriate undertaking 
of which the circumstances permit1 and  
under the imperfect information we      
possess4  ,it must1 however1 be         
confessed1 that no definitive opinion   
can be given1 or very satisfactory      
estimates assumed1 until a new and      
detailed survey1 having the express     
objects in view1 is completed1          
comprehending the necessary levellings  
and borings and maritime surveys of the 
ports at the termini of the ,canal4     
,with respect to the land survey1 were  
all the necessary persons and means duly
 prepared to commence operations in the 
beginning of ,october1 it is probable   
the investigation might be completed in 
the beginning of the following ,may1 and
 a true solution given to this great    
geographical1 commercial1 and           
engineering question4  ,as mankind      
multiply and make progress in arts and  
civilization1 new wants arise1 and the  

ingenuity and industry of man is taxed  
to discover new sources of wealth1      
maintenance1 and occupation3 and we     
find1 under the dispensations of an     
all-wise ,providence1 that at suitable  
seasons resources are unveiled which    
have been long provided but concealed   
until the fit occasion presents itself4 
,amongst the numerous administrations of
 the same wise and merciful design1 it  
is not unreasonable to believe that the 
completion of navigable channels across 
the ,isthmuses of ,suez and ,darien are 
enterprises amongst the events designed 
to minister to the growing wants and    
improvement of the human race4          
99       99       99       99       99  
,in the preceding pages an endeavour has
 been made to show the superiority of a 
direct communication between the two    
,seas 7which would provide for the      
speedy passage of large ships at all    
seasons71 over a communication partly   
through the medium of the ,nile1 which  
would be interrupted in the dry season1 

and prove tedious at all times2 and it  
now remains to say a few words on the   
comparative value of railways4          
,railways1 under present circumstances1 
would expedite the transmission of      
passengers by the steam ships across the
 ,desert1 and might be useful in the    
transmission of light and valuable goods
 between the ,nile and the ,red ,sea2   
but it must be greatly doubted if a     
sufficient traffic could thereby arise  
to pay the construction and maintenance 
of eighty miles of railway between      
,cairo and ,suez4 ,on the other hand1   
were it contemplated to construct a     
railway between the bay of ,tineh and   
,suez1 the cost1 including the          
improvement of the harbours at either   
terminus1 would nearly equal the expense
 of the proposed ,canal2 but the means  
of keeping the terminal harbours deep   
and clean would be foregone from want of
 means of scourage2 and to the expense  
of the railway would have to be added   
the expense of unloading and reloading  

the cargoes of each shipment2 so that it
 is manifest that a railway direct      
between the two ,seas could stand no    
competition with the proposed ,canal1   
which1 besides its value as a commercial
 channel1 would facilitate the steam    
navigation with ,india in the highest   
degree1 by permitting the steamers to   
make a continuous voyage2 and by        
permitting supplies of coals being sent 
direct to ,suez and ,aden1 c41 the      
detention of steamers at ,suez and      
,alexandria would be avoided1 four or   
five days would be gained in the        
transmission of passengers and mails1   
and the expenditure in the price of     
coals would be much reduced4  ,the      
,author again acknowledges his          
obligations to the able statements of   
,mr4 ,maclaren's paper of #ahbe1        
connected with this subject1 and now    
quotes that author's opinions and those 
of the writer in the ,foreign ,quarterly
 ,review of #ahcf1 as to the feasibility
 of the proposed measure3--  8,yet it is

 certain that the project must not only 
have been practicable but easy1 since it
 was accomplished in early times by men 
who were unprovided with many of those  
resources which modern art supplies4 ,in
 fact1 when the ground is explored the  
supposed difficulties vanish1 and we    
discover that ,nature has furnished such
 singular and unexpected facilities for 
establishing a water communication      
between the two ,seas1 that she has left
 little for man to do to complete her   
work40--,,maclaren1 ,jamieson's         
,journal1 #ahbe1 p4 #bgd4  8,were       
,european civilization and a regular    
,government permanently re-established  
in ,egypt1 the undertaking would be     
found not only practicable but easy2 so 
great1 in fact1 are the facilities which
 the ground presents1 that though the   
,canal 7taking the magnitude of its     
section into account7 would certainly be
 the largest that exists1 the expense   
would be considerably less than that of 
some small works of the same kind       

executed in the west of                 
,europe40--,ibid4 p4 #bij4  8,there is  
little doubt that if the ,french had    
remained in ,egypt1 and especially with 
,napoleon at the head of the            
,government1 they would have carried    
their project 7of canals7 into effect4  
,the expense1 compared with the         
magnificent result1 is so trifling1 that
 the wonder is that it has not been     
carried into effect before now1 either  
by a company having the support of      
,mahommed ,pacha1 or by the ,pacha on   
his own account40--,foreign ,quarterly  
,review1 #ahcf1 p4 #cfb4  8,a glance at 
the map which accompanies the           
,topographical ,survey of the ,french   
engineers is quite sufficient to        
demonstrate with what facility and at   
what moderate expense a ship's canal    
might be constructed from the ,red ,sea 
to the ,mediterranean40--,ibid4 p4 #cfh4
     ,,appendix4  ,no4 ,,ix4  ,,article 
,,from ,,the ,,moniteur4     ,,from     
,,the ,,moniteur1  7,,the ,,official    

,,paper ,,of ,,france17  #fth ,july1    
#ahee4  ,,the ,,cutting ,,of ,,the      
,,isthmus ,,of ,,suez4   ,this          
undertaking1 one of the grandest and    
most useful of the age1 has for some    
time attracted a considerable share of  
public attention4 ,there is but one     
opinion as to its immense results1 but  
the question of the track has been a    
subject of discussion1 which1 in the    
absence of authentic documents and an   
exact knowledge of the localities1 may  
mislead public opinion4  ,two tracks    
have been proposed3 one direct1 which is
 to unite the two ,seas by a ,canal in a
 straight line from ,suez to ,pelusium2 
the other indirect1 which1 starting from
 ,suez1 joins the ,nile below ,cairo1   
and terminates at the port of           
,alexandria4  ,in the eyes of all who   
are acquainted with ,egypt the direct   
track alone appears practicable1 the    
indirect track however has recently     
found its advocates in some ,european   
journals2 the following particulars1    

collected on the spot1 will enlighten   
public opinion upon this point4  ,in the
 first place there is a difference of   
length between the two tracks1 which is 
not unimportant4 ,the direct track being
 the shortest1 would certainly not1 of  
itself1 be sufficient to give it the    
preference1 especially if the other were
 both most economical and most          
advantageous2 but it appears that       
besides having the advantage of being   
much shorter1 the direct track also has 
the recommendations of being more       
economical1 more advantageous1 and more 
easy of execution4  #ast4 ,the indirect 
,canal has to cross the ,nile1 and this 
condition is almost impossible to be    
carried out4 ,the crossings of rivers   
are attended1 as is well known1 with    
difficulties1 even when there is only a 
draught of water of #b to #c met43 what 
would they be for a ,canal which is to  
be #h met4 deep8 ,and even one of the   
most decided partisans of the indirect  
track has not hesitated to declare      

frankly1 considering this immense       
obstacle1 which alarms but does not     
discourage him3 8that the maintenance of
 such a depth presents difficulties     
which have never been surmounted nor    
even attempted40 ,it is true that at    
first the help of the barrage was       
reckoned upon in risking the crossing of
 the river2 but this barrage can only   
serve at the low waters during four or  
five months of the year1 at the time    
when the lands are irrigated to prepare 
for the summer crops2 the reserved      
waters of the ,nile will never1 even at 
their maximum1 be more than #d to #d    
met41 which is very far from #h met4    
,above the barrage1 at the point where  
the ships are to cross1 the breadth is  
#bjjj met4 and if a transverse channel  
were dug there1 how could it be         
prevented from filling with alluvium and
 mud8 ,during the increase of the       
waters1 how could a current of five     
miles an hour1 be crossed by sailing    
vessels against the wind blowing from   

the east and south8  ,against this      
formidable obstacle to the crossing     
which cannot be avoided1 an expedient   
not less surprising1 and still more     
impracticable1 has been devised2 the    
barrage is set aside1 the employment of 
it being too hazardous1 and the ,nile is
 to be crossed by a bridge ,canal4 ,but 
can we form an idea of a ,canal #h met4 
deep crossing a river like the ,nile    
above the barrage8 ,according to the    
very calculations of those who propose  
such schemes1 there would be required   
#a1bac1adg met4 cub4 of water per diem  
to supply the upper basin1 and as this  
enormous quantity of water would have to
 be raised thirty metres above the level
 of the two ,seas2 the engines required 
for this purpose must represent #efbj   
horse power by calculation1             
corresponding to #fjjj horse power in   
those to be provided2 not to speak of   
the obstacles that such a colossal work 
would oppose to the ordinary navigation1
 it would be an expense upon that point 

only of #ej to #fj1jjj1jjj francs4 ,and 
the bridge ,canal after all these       
sacrifices1 would not be more firm or   
more durable than any construction of   
that kind4 ,and moreover for this super 
elevation of level there would be       
required ten locks in addition to the   
fourteen already on the line4  #bnd4    
,the indirect ,canal will be detrimental
 to the ,canal works1 so necessary to   
,lower ,egypt1 and will partly interfere
 with that admirable hydraulic system1  
which is at once the pride and the      
fertilization of the country4 ,it will  
be in vain to make circuits to avoid the
 branchings of the network2 as the      
termination is to be at the port of     
,alexandria1 it will be absolutely      
necessary to pass between the           
,mahmoudieh ,canal and ,lake ,mareotis2 
and then the flow of all the waters into
 the ,lake which is destined to receive 
them will be prevented4 ,passing through
 the ,lake1 as the railway does1 seas of
 mire will be met with1 so much dreaded 

on the ,pelusiac coast4 ,it has already 
been necessary to raise again and again 
the embankment of the railway which was 
disappearing in the ,lake1 and for three
 years it has been necessary to labour  
unceasingly at the repairs which are    
continually required2 what will it be   
when a dyke must be constructed at least
 #fjjj metres in length1 to heights of  
#g to #h metres1 without knowing where  
to procure the necessary earth for these
 embankments8  #crd4 ,the indirect      
,canal cannot terminate in the port of  
,alexandria without causing still       
greater confusion there than it causes  
in the ,canal works4 ,in the first place
 the port of ,alexandria is not         
immutable1 as has been supposed4 ,it has
 not escaped the action of the ground   
swell1 which has choked it with sand to 
a good third of its extent4 ,the part of
 the port which has been selected is    
frequently agitated by the north-west   
winds1 and the surf is then so violent  
in rough weather1 that even small craft 

dare not approach it4 ,the rock is found
 there at a small depth below the sea1  
and as it would be necessary to extend  
the dykes of the ,canal to #bej metres  
into the harbour1 to obtain a draught of
 water of #g met41 #ej to #h met41 the  
rock would have to be excavated under   
the water4 ,add to this that in this    
direction all the grand magazines and   
all the ,government works would be      
encountered2 there is not the least free
 space between the railway and the      
,mahmoudieh canal4 ,but let us suppose  
all these difficulties overcome1 there  
are others which the ,canal raises1 and 
which it multiplies the more it is      
employed4 ,the port of ,alexandria1 the 
only military port of ,egypt1 is then   
besieged by hundreds of merchant        
vessels1 and by the sailors of the whole
 of ,europe4 ,let there be a contrary   
wind ever so slight1 or some requisite  
repairs to the locks1 and that the      
movement is arrested1 just fancy the    
impediment1 without taking into account 

the political dangers of such an        
accumulation4 ,moreover it is not only  
at ,alexandria that this intolerable    
inconvenience would arise2 it might     
happen1 in consequence of accidents     
easily to be foreseen but impossible to 
be prevented1 that ,egypt should see all
 on a sudden #h to #aj1jjj foreign      
sailors stationed on a point of her     
territory1 because the forty vessels at 
least which traverse it every day have  
been forcibly detained at some part of  
the passage during twenty or five and   
twenty days consecutively4  ,to these   
conclusive reasons1 it would not be     
difficult to add others2 but these must 
be sufficient to warn unbiassed minds   
against the indirect passage4  ,the     
inconveniences1 or rather the           
impossibilities of the indirect track1  
become more striking when compared with 
the conditions of the direct track and  
its incontestable advantages4  #ast4 ,to
 begin with1 the direct track is only   
about one third the length of the other4

 ,that would be #djj kilometres long1   
and the direct track is only #aee1 which
 would be reduced to #abj1 as will be   
seen4 ,near about the middle of the     
,isthmus1 the ,bitter ,lakes are met    
with1 which give #ah kilometres of      
navigation ready made1 and not requiring
 a single turn of the shovel1 as the    
,viceroy's engineers say1 and #ah       
kilometres in addition are three parts  
excavated by nature itself2 #abj        
kilometres therefore remain1 that is to 
say1 #cj leagues at the most4  #bnd4    
,the direct track is the easiest4 ,there
 are only two salient points in the     
entire ,isthmus that it is necessary to 
traverse by partly turning them2 one1   
the ,serapeum1 which1 according to the  
levels checked in #ahec1 is #af met41   
#eiej high2 and the other ,el ,guisr1   
which is #aa met41 #fcjj4 ,with the     
depth of the ,canal1 this would make a  
cutting of #bj or at most #bd metres at 
some points4 ,there is certainly nothing
 in such a work to terrify our          

engineers4  #crd4 ,the direct track is  
the most natural4 ,the ,isthmus is      
traversed by a longitudinal depression1 
formed by the meeting of the two plains 
descending with an imperceptible slope1 
the one from ,egypt1 the other from the 
frontier hills of ,asia4 ,the ,bitter   
,lakes1 filled with the waters of the   
,arabian ,gulf by the action of the     
tides only1 may easily form a reservoir 
which1 with a surface of #bhj1jjj1jjj   
square metres by a rise of #b metres of 
moving waters1 would not receive less   
than #efj1jjj1jjj cubic metres1 for the 
service of the ,canal1 below the water  
line at the level of the two ,seas4     
,lake ,timsah1 situated at about an     
equal distance from ,suez and ,pelusium1
 is like an inland port where ships can 
be revictualled and repaired4 ,moreover1
 by another favour of nature1 towards   
,lake ,timsah a second not less         
remarkable hollow abuts perpendicularly 
on the longitudinal depression1 it is   
that of the ,wady-,tomilat 7the fertile 

,goshen of the ,bible74 ,this hollow    
still receives the overflowings of the  
,nile for a great part of its length1   
and forms the natural track of a        
communication starting from the river   
and joining1 at the central part of the 
,isthmus1 the line of maritime          
navigation which would be established   
between the ,arabian ,gulf and the      
,mediterranean4  #dth4 ,the direct track
 is the most useful4 ,it serves at the  
same time the interests of commerce in  
general and the political interests of  
,egypt and the ,ottoman ,empire4 ,it    
will require but little to maintain it1 
and as there will be very few works of  
art1 navigation will not be exposed to  
those interruptions which it would have 
to dread on the indirect track4  ,to    
these evident advantages of the direct  
track1 to these relative facilities     
which had attracted the attention of the
 sovereigns of ,egypt1 of ,amrou and    
,mustapha ,,iii4 for example 7see       
,lebeau1 ,histoire du ,bas-,empire1 tom4

 ,,xii4 p4 #dij1 and the ,mmoires du    
,baron de ,tott sur les ,turcs1 pts4    
,,iii4 and ,,iv471 before attracting    
that of the nineteenth century1 there is
 but one objection1 and it is this3--   
,it is impossible1 they say1 for large  
ships to approach ,pelusium2 and the    
direct ,canal is chimerical1 because it 
cannot open into the ,mediterranean4    
,this oft-repeated objection is but     
specious1 and cannot stand before an    
examination of the facts4 ,the entrance 
to ,pelusium is certainly a difficult   
and costly work1 but it is perfectly    
practicable1 and engineers have overcome
 very different obstacles with resources
 much inferior to those now at their    
command4  ,it is well in the first place
 that it should be known that the level 
of the two ,seas1 excepting the         
difference of the tides1 which are      
pretty high at the south in the ,red    
,sea1 and almost nothing at the north in
 the ,mediterranean1 is perceptibly the 
same4 ,the commission of #agii had found

 for the ,arabian ,gulf an elevation of 
#i met4 #ij2 but its labours1 performed 
in the midst of all the dangers and     
disturbances of war1 had not been       
verified1 and the genius of ,laplace    
resting upon accurate theoretical views1
 had formally denied the possibility of 
such a depression within a distance of  
scarcely thirty leagues4 ,afterwards1   
towards #ahdj1 some ,english officers   
had proved by the barometer and the     
boiling water process that there was no 
difference of level2 and in #ahdc1      
,prince ,metternich1 having been        
informed of these labours1 sent         
instructions to ,egypt to induce        
,mehemet ,ali to interest himself in the
 grand undertaking of the cutting of the
 ,isthmus3 his dispatch is still in the 
,archives of the ,austrian ,consulate at
 ,alexandria4 ,in #ahdg a commission of 
,french engineers1 sent out by ,m4      
,paulin ,talabot under the direction of 
the learned ,m4 ,bourdaloue1 and        
assisted by ,egyptian engineers directed

 by ,m4 ,linant1 chief engineer to the  
,viceroy1 put the fact beyond all       
question1 and ,m4 ,paulin ,talabot had  
the honour of stating it in a memorial  
that has become famous4 ,our ,academy of
 ,sciences bestirred itself for the     
honour of the ancient ,egyptian         
commission4 ,m4 ,sabatier1 ,consul      
general of ,france1 asked the ,viceroy  
for a fresh verification1 which ,m4     
,linant was charged to undertake in     
#ahec1 and which confirmed1 saying an   
insignificant variation1 the labours of 
#ahdg4  ,so that the considerable       
super-elevation of the ,red ,sea cannot 
be reckoned on for facilitating the     
approaches from the ,mediterranean at   
the other extremity of the ,canal2 there
 is only the difference of the tides4   
,as a depth of #g met4 #ej to #h met4 is
 not found before ,pelusium or ,tineh1  
but at a distance of #fjjj met4 into the
 sea1 it is assumed that it is          
practically impossible to prolong the   
jetty of the ,canal to that distance1   

because the waters are but liquid mud1  
and that clouds of earth would interfere
 with the progress of the vessels and   
the solidity of the works4  ,this is a  
complete mistake4  ,because ,herodotus  
has said1 that the ,delta is a present  
from the ,nile1 his inaccurate assertion
 has been repeated without verifying it1
 and his metaphor has passed for an     
incontestable truth4 ,but it is an      
absolute fact1 and it is only necessary 
to ask those who have been at ,pelusium1
 that the water there is as limpid as at
 ,alexandria or ,jaffa4 ,the banks of   
travelling mud seen by ,admiral ,sir    
,sidney ,smith have no more reality than
 the present from the ,nile1 and for the
 twenty years that these coasts have    
been traversed in every direction by    
steam boats1 no one has ever met again  
with those muddy banks4 ,the truth is1  
that the waters of the ,nile1 which1 at 
the time of the inundation are          
distinguished for more than ten leagues 
into the sea1 carry far out into the    

,mediterranean and deposit in its       
depths1 the masses of earthy matter     
which they hold in suspension 7near     
#a_/hjjj7 which do not reappear on the  
coasts but in imperceptible quantities2 
the truth is1 that a handful of sand may
 be taken up from the sea beach1 at     
,pelusium1 without finding the least    
particle of mud4 ,the ,viceroy's        
engineers have proved that the coast1   
from ,el-,arish to ,tripoli1 is pure    
sand1 and the soundings taken along the 
shore give the same result4 ,far from   
the ,nile forming accretions at         
,pelusium1 it is an axiom now admitted  
by science that the muddy or sandy      
deposits observed at the mouths of      
rivers are entirely owing to matters    
brought by the tide4 ,the rivers have no
 part therein2 and the excellent        
observations made by most able          
hydrographers at the bay of ,mount ,st4 
,michael1 at the mouths of the ,scheld1 
the ,meuse1 the ,rhine1 the ,yssel1 have
 superabundantly proved it4 ,the        

accumulations of sand at ,pelusium and  
,suez1 like the whole ,isthmus1 have    
been formed by the maritime deposits of 
the ,mediterranean and the ,red ,sea4   
,the thorough investigation of the      
motion of the waves has demonstrated    
that the bars of rivers are due to the  
ground swell alone4 ,the ,nile1         
therefore1 has no influence upon the    
approaches to ,pelusium1 as ,herodotus  
supposed1 and as is still the common    
opinion2 and this is so true1 that for  
#bj kilometres above its mouth there are
 accretions of mud1 while below there is
 nothing but sand4 ,finally the         
accumulations of sand are more          
considerable in proportion as the waters
 of the river are less abundant4        
,setting aside from the question the    
hypothetical assertions1 it remains     
therefore incontestable that the only   
difficulty at ,pelusium1 is the length  
of the jetties in the sea4 ,pelusium1   
with its ruins1 is at the same point    
where ,strabo saw it1 where the         

,egyptian commission saw it1 which found
 the twenty stadia of the ,greek        
geographer between the shore and the    
town quite correct4 ,but are jetties of 
a league and a half into the sea        
possible1 or are they indeed a work that
 cannot be executed8 ,the answer to this
 question is easy3 a hundred years ago1 
the ,hollanders1 not so rich and not so 
skillful as we are now1 although quite  
as bold1 erected at the ,cape1 in the   
bay of the ,lion1 at a depth of #af     
met41 in spite of the most frightful    
tempests1 a dyke of #hjjj metres1 that  
is1 a work of at least four times the   
extent of that required for the entrance
 of the ,canal at ,pelusium4  ,as for   
the harbour of ,suez1 the work there    
would be comparatively trifling because 
it is sheltered from all the winds1     
excepting that from the south-east1 and 
ships keep the sea there very well1 as  
is proved by the ,english ,magazine     
corvette1 moored there for two years1   
without sustaining any damage4  ,what is

 to be deduced from these               
observations8--,that it is possible to  
make a canal #ajj metres wide from ,suez
 to ,pelusium1 with a draught of water  
of #h met41 below low water in the      
,mediterranean1 with parapets1 towing   
path1 c4 and available for the passage  
of screw and paddle frigates1 and       
vessels of #ajjj to #aejj tons burthen1 
and that this canal1 following the      
straight line between the two ,seas is  
the only practicable one1 as it will be 
one of the grandest and most useful     
works ever performed by man4  ,to       
conclude1 this track is the only one    
that the prince who now rules in ,egypt 
will allow4 ,well informed himself in   
nautical arts and sciences1 the         
inheritor of the policy of ,mehemet     
,ali1 which he approves while he        
practises1 he has declared in dictating 
his own terms for the firman of         
concession1 that he would have the      
shortest and least expensive track1 and 
one that would be available for the     

largest ships4 ,it is not in the scheme 
of an inland canal that the real        
junction of the two ,seas consists2 the 
indirect canal cuts through ,egypt1 and 
not the ,isthmus2 its extent is not only
 tripled1 but the cost of execution and 
maintenance are enormous1 and the       
existence of a canal constructed upon   
these conditions would be always        
uncertain and precarious while the      
direct track1 which unites so many      
advantages1 has none of these drawbacks4
                                        
,h,,te4     ,,footnotes   #a ,i think it
 to the purpose to insert here a letter1
 which ,i addressed to ,lord ,stratford 
de ,redcliffe1 ,her ,britannic          
,majesty's ,ambassador1 on my leaving   
,constantinople3--                      
,pera1 #bhth ,february1 #ahee4          
8,there are questions which require to  
be boldly met in     order to be well   
resolved1 as there are wounds which must
     be opened in order to be healed4   
,the frankness with which     you       

received my first remarks upon a        
subject1 the gravity     of which ,i do 
not affect to disguise1 encourages me to
     submit to your consideration a     
point of view from which     it appears 
to me advisable to contemplate the      
question     of the ,isthmus of ,suez4  
,the great influence which your         
character and your long experience      
naturally give you the     right to     
exercise in the decisions of your       
,government on     all ,eastern         
questions1 makes me especially anxious  
to     neglect no opportunity of        
enabling ,your ,excellency to     form  
an opinion from a perfect acquaintance  
with the case4      ,the results already
 obtained from the intimate alliance    
of ,france and ,england1 testify        
sufficiently to the     advantages that 
the ,european balance and civilization  
in general derive from that union of the
 two peoples4     ,the future and the   
welfare of all the nations of the       
universe are therefore concerned in     

maintaining intact1     in preserving   
from any attack1 a state of things1     
which1     to the everlasting honour of 
the ,governments that have     brought  
it about1 can alone1 with time1 ensure  
the     blessings of progress and of    
peace to the human race4     ,thence the
 necessity of getting rid1 beforehand1  
of all     causes of rupture1 or even of
 coolness1 between the     two peoples2 
thence1 consequently1 the paramount duty
     of anticipating amongst future     
contingencies1 those     circumstances  
calculated to awake ancient feelings of 
antagonism1 and to raise1 in the bosom  
of either nation1     those emotions    
against the violence of which1 the      
wisdom     of ,governments is powerless 
to struggle4 ,the motives for           
hostile rivalry are tending successively
 to give place to     that generous     
emulation which gives birth to great    
things4      ,looking at the situation  
of affairs in a general way1     it is  
scarcely to be perceived upon what      

ground and     upon what occasion1 those
 struggles1 which so long     desolated 
the world1 could be renewed4 ,is it     
financial     and commercial interests  
that could cause division     between   
the two peoples8 ,why1 ,british capital 
thrown     into all the undertakings of 
,france1 and the immense                
developement of international commerce1 
have established     ties between them  
which become closer every day4 ,is it   
political interests and questions of    
principle8 ,why1 the     two nations    
have but one common aim1 one same       
ambition3     the triumph of right over 
might1 of civilization     over         
barbarism4 ,is it1 finally1 a sordid    
jealousy of     territorial extension8  
,why1 they acknowledge1 at the          
present time1 that the globe is vast    
enough to offer to     the spirit of    
adventure that animates their respective
     populations1 countries to make     
available1 human beings to     withdraw 
from the state of barbarism2 and1       

moreover1 from     the moment that their
 flags wave together1 the conquests     
of the one profit by the activity of the
 other4      ,at the first glance1 then1
 nothing is perceived in the     general
 state of affairs that could impair our 
cordial     relations with ,england4    
,if1 however1 we look closer1 an        
eventuality presents     itself which1  
causing the most enlightened and most   
moderate cabinets to partake in popular 
prejudices and     passions1 is capable 
of reviving old antipathies1 and     of 
compromising1 with the alliance1 the    
benefits to be     derived from it4     
,there is1 in fact1 a point of the globe
 with the free     passage of which the 
political and commercial power of       
,great ,britain is bound up1 a point1   
the possession of     which ,france had1
 on her part1 aspired to in former      
times4 ,this point is ,egypt1 the direct
 route from ,europe     to ,india1      
,egypt bathed once and again with       
,french blood4      ,it is superfluous  

to define the motives which would       
not allow ,england to see ,egypt in the 
possession of a     rival nation without
 opposing it by the most energetic      
resistance2 but what should also be     
taken into serious     consideration1   
is1 that with less positive interests1  
,france under the dominion of her       
glorious traditions1     under the      
impression of other feelings more       
instinctive     than rational1 and      
therefore more powerful over the        
impressionable spirit of her            
inhabitants1 would not1 in     her turn1
 leave to ,england the peaceable        
sovereignty of     ,egypt4 ,it is clear 
that1 so long as the route to ,india is 
open and certain1 that the state of the 
country ensures     the facility and    
promptitude of the communications1      
,england will not set about creating the
 most grave     difficulties by         
appropriating a territory which1 in her 
eyes1 has no other value than as a means
 of transit4     ,it is likewise evident

 that ,france--whose policy1 for     the
 last fifty years1 has been to          
contribute to the     prosperity of     
,egypt1 both by her counsels and by the 
concourse of a great number of          
,frenchmen distinguished     in the     
sciences1 in administrative capacity1 in
 all the     arts of peace or war--will 
not seek to realize1 in this            
direction1 the projects of another      
epoch1 so long as     ,england does not 
interfere4      ,but let one of those   
crises occur which have so often        
shaken the ,east1 let a circumstance    
arise wherein ,england     should find  
herself under the rigorous necessity of 
taking a position in ,egypt to prevent  
another power from     forestalling her1
 and tell us then if it is possible that
     the alliance could survive the     
complications which such     an event   
would occasion4 ,and why should ,england
 consider     herself obliged to become 
mistress of ,egypt1 even at     the risk
 of breaking her alliance with ,france8 

,for this     single reason1 that ,egypt
 is the shortest and most direct        
route from ,england to her ,eastern     
possessions2 that     this route must be
 constantly open to her2 and that1      
in whatever concerns this mighty        
interest1 she could     never temporise4
 ,thus1 from the position given to her  
by nature1 ,egypt might still become the
 subject of a     conflict between      
,france and ,great ,britain2 so that    
this     chance of rupture would        
disappear if1 by a providential         
event1 the geographical conditions of   
the ancient world     were changed1 and1
 that the commercial route to ,india1   
instead of passing through the heart of 
,egypt1 were     removed to its         
confines1 and1 being opened to all the  
world1 could never be exposed to the    
chance of its     becoming the exclusive
 privilege of any one4      ,well6 this 
event1 which must have been the design  
of     ,providence1 is now within the   
reach of man4 ,it may be     brought    

about by human skill4 ,it is to be      
realized by the     cutting of the      
,isthmus of ,suez1 an undertaking to    
which     nature opposes no obstacle1   
and wherein ,english capital1     as    
well as that of other countries1 will   
certainly take     part4      ,let the  
,isthmus be cut through1 let the waves  
of the     ,mediterranean mingle with   
those of the ,indian ,ocean1     let the
 ,railroad be continued and completed1  
and ,egypt1     in acquiring an         
increased importance as a productive    
country1 as a country of internal       
commerce1 as a general     storehouse   
and common transit1 loses its dangerous 
pre-eminence as an uncertain and        
contested passage of     communication4 
,the possession of its territory being  
no longer an object     of interest to  
,england1 ceases to be a possible bone  
of     contention between that power and
 ,france1 the union of     the two      
peoples is for the future unalterable1  
and the     world is preserved from the 

calamities which a rupture     between  
them would produce4 ,this result affords
 such     securities for the future1    
that it is sufficient to     point them 
out1 to attract to the undertaking      
destined     to produce it1 the sympathy
 and the encouragement of the           
,statesmen whose efforts are directed to
 the settlement     of the              
,anglo-,french alliance upon an         
immoveable basis4     ,you1 my ,lord1   
are one of those ,statesmen1 and you    
have     too large a share in questions 
of high policy1 to which     ,i am a    
stranger1 for me not to entertain the   
wish to     communicate to you my       
aspirations4      ,,ferd4 ,,de          
,,lesseps40  #b ,these very sensible    
observations are taken from a           
correspondence which appeared in the    
8,times0 of the #acth ,june last4  #c   
,the other two were ,mr4 ,stephenson for
 ,england1 and ,m4 ,ngrelli for         
,austria4  #d ,as the work of the       
,viceroy's ,engineers will be published1

 an extract only is here given1 which   
will suffice to make known the          
importance of their labours1 and show   
the practical results of their          
investigations4  #e ,extracts from      
,communications with ,india1 ,china1 c4 
,observations on the ,practicability and
 ,utility of opening a ,communication   
between the ,red ,sea and the           
,mediterranean1 by a ,ship ,canal1      
through the ,isthmus of ,suez4 ,by      
,arthur ,anderson4 ,london1 ,smith1     
,elder  ,co4 ,cornhill1 #ahdc4  #f      
,since writing this1 an article on the  
8,suez ,canal0 has appeared in the      
,foreign and ,colonial ,quarterly       
,review1 which1 although containing some
 inaccuracies of minor importance1 and  
professing only to take a general view  
of the subject1 the writer would exempt 
from the above description4  #g         
,extracts from ,inquiry into the ,means 
of establishing a ,ship ,navigation     
between the ,mediterranean and ,red     
,seas4 ,by ,james ,vetch1 ,capt4 ,r4,e41

 ,f4,r4,s4 ,london1 ,pelham ,richardson1
 #bc1 ,cornhill1 #ahdc4  ,,the ,,end4   
,,chiswick ,,press3 ,,printed ,,by ,c4  
,,whittingham1 ,,tooks ,,court1         
,,chancery ,,lane4  ,illustration3      
,,panoramic ,,view ,,of ,,the ,,isthmus 
,,of ,,suez ,,and ,,the ,,maritime      
,,canal4 ,,according ,,to ,,the ,,scheme
 ,,of ,,linant ,,bey  ,,mougel ,,bey4   
,,engineers ,,to ,,the ,,viceroy ,,of   
,,egypt4  ,illustration3 ,sketch shewing
 the ,,mahmoudieh ,,canal1 ,,the ,,river
 ,,and ,,railway ,,conveyance ,,through 
,,egypt ,,between ,,alexandria ,,and    
,,suez1 ,,and ,,the ,,direct ,,track    
,,of ,,the ,,proposed ,,ship ,,canal1   
,,through ,,the ,,isthmus ,,of ,,suez4  
,illustration3 ,,route ,,of ,,steam     
,,ships ,,between ,,great ,,britain     
,,and ,,the ,,east4