SUEZ CANAL. In the former article on this subject, the nature of the scheme wail briefly described, and illustrated by a small map; and the progress of the works noticed down to the year 1865. In this place, some of the features will receive a little further explanation, now that the canal is finished and in operation. The canal is 85 m. long.
The Port Said Said or Said, a t. now containing 10,000 inhabitants. had no existence in 1860. It became the depot of the company, the metropolis of vast bodies of laborers and other persons employed on the works of the canal. As the Medi terranean sea is very shallow near this point, an artificial deep channel had to be made, bounded e. and w. by piers stretching far out into the sea. Stone for these piers was, in the first instance, brought from a long distance; but afterward artificial stone was made on the spot, consisting of two parts of sand and one part of hydraulic lime ground into a paste, and poured into wooden boxes or moulds. When the mixture solidified, the mould-boards were removed, and the solid blocks of artificial stone were left from three to six months in the open air to dry and harden. The blocks contain 10 cubic meters each, weigh 20 tons, and were made at a contract price of 42 francs per mitre cube. The western pier has a length of 7,000 ft., and the eastern of 6,000 ft.; they are 4,600 ft. apart at the shore, but gradually approach toward each other, so that their outer ends arc only 2,300 ft. apart. The western pier is continued in an arc of 1100 yds. extent, so as, with the eastern pier, to shelter the harbor from all winds. Within this outer harbor is an inner port, 870 yds. by 500, which is kept at a uniform depth of 30 ft., by means of steam-dredging. The lighthouse, with its electric light, is 180 ft. high.
Prom Port Said to Temsah Lake.—From Port Said, the canal crosses about 20 m. of Menzaleh lake, a salt-water shallow, closely resembling the lagoons of Venice, having from 1 to 10 ft. depth of water. The canal through this lagoon is 112 yds. wide at the
surface, 26. yds. at the bottom, and 26 ft. deep. An artificial bank rises 15 ft. on each side of this channel. Beyond Menzaleh lake, heavier works begin. The distance thence to Abu Ballah lake is 11 m., with a height of ground above the level of the sea varying from 15 to 30 ft. Crossing the last-named lake, there is another land distance of 11 m. to Temsah lake, cutting through ground to a depth varying from 30 to 70 or 80 ft.; and then 3 m. further across this little lake itself. At El Guisr, or Girsch, occurs the deepest cutting in the whole line, no less than 85 ft. below the surface; at the water level it is 112 yds. wide, at the summit-level 173 yds., from which the vastness of the gap may be estimated. Ismailia (pop. 5,000) on Temsah lake, is regarded as the central point of the canal. While the canal was being made, it grew up rapidly from an Arab village to a French town, with the houses of engineers and managers, hotels, shops, cafés, a theater, and a central railway station, from which railways stretch to Alexan dria and Suez.
The Fresh-water extends from the Nile to Temsah lake, and was con structed purposely to supply with water the population accumulating at various points on the line of the canal; but is also used by small sailing-vessels. This fresh-water or "sweet-water" canal comprises three portions or sections: (1) from the Nile e. or n.e. to Ismailia, on Temsah lake; (2) from Ismailia, nearly s. to Suez, on the western side of the great ship or maritime canal; (3) from Ismailia nearly n. to Port Said, also on the w. side of the ship canal. The first and second of these sections are really canals, large enough to accommodate small steamer and barge traffic; but the third section consists simply of a large iron pipe, through which the water is conveyed to the several stations. Plugs are inserted in the pipe wherever needed, to allow water to be drawn off for every day wants.