TOPOGRAPHY. The construction of the canal was greatly facilitated by the existence along the route of four dried-up depressions which were formerly and hare again become lakes of considerable area, namely, the two Bullah Lakes, the Great and Small Bitter Lakes, and Lake Timsah. (See Map of EGYPT.) These low-lying nasins have an aggregate length of 27 miles. Excavation was required. however, through the Bullah Lakes, Lake Timsah, and the Small Bitter Lake, and also through a portion of the Great Bitter Lake. Consequently it was only for a length of eight miles of the Great Bitter Lake, where the natural depth exceeded that of the canal, that no excavation was necessary. The total distance from Port Said to Suez. Port Thewfik, is 88 nautical miles, or 100 English miles. The only serious obstacles to he overcome in the line of the canal were at the summit of the work, situated between the Bullah Lakes and Lake Timsah, where the hills crossing the canal vary from 30 to 60 feet above sea-level over a length of 6 miles, and at the deep cutting of Serapeum, between Lake Timsah and the Great Bitter Lake. From Port Said to Kantara, a dis
tance of 24 miles, the canal passes through Lake Manzaleh, a shallow lagoon which covers an area of nearly 1000 square miles. The soil en countered along the route was sand, sandy clay. and hard clay, with rare stretches of rock, and thus favorable to rapid and easy excavation. No serious engineering diffienIties were presented by the harbor works at Port Said and Suez. In short, the canal works in general were of a very simple nature. but of vast magnitude, involving as originally proposed, the removal of 60.000.000 cubic meters of dry earth and 56.000.000 cubic meters of earth under water; and as they were situated in a country destitute of fresh water. a well-conceived organization was required to bring the colossal work to a successful issue.