THE SUEZ CANAL.

Evening Post, Issue 75, 6 May 1865, Page 3

THE SUEZ CANAL.

The Moniteur contains the following statements :— The city of Suez appears destined to assume considerable importance within a short time. Four great companien have already constructed workshops there, and one of them, the Egyptian company, the Azizie, formed for working the commerce of the Red Sea, has its principal establishment at Suez. Numerous houses are being erected to supply the wants of an ever increasing population of merchants, assistants, and workmen from all countries. It is easy to foresee however, that the future city will not be built on the present site. A bank, which becomes dry at low water, extends for a mile and a quarter opposite Suez, and at the extremity of this bank the maritime canal will empty itself ; and here also the Messageries Company will build its basin for the repair of its vessels. A jetty, which is fl .ished, will soon bring the basin into communication with the Cairo railway by means of a tramway. All these works constitute the nucleus of a new city which wilt be es<abh*ahed on the bank itself ; and thanks to the development of the shore, under circumstances more favourable to commercial interests, Suez owes its growing prosperity principally to the Universal Company of Suez, and to that of the Mtjssageries Jmperiales. The portion of the fresh water canal which the first of these companies has to construct, is termina el, with the exception of the sluices, in the formation of which no time is lost. Their speedy completion will allow merchandise to be conveyed by the canal from Port Said to Suez in vessels of a li^ht draught of water. The company of the Messageries Imperiales, which, with eleven steam vessels, conveys traffic from India and China, has been in regular operation from October, 18rj2, and his no occasion to envy the rival service of the English company. • The two places wh re the repairs of vessels are principally carried on are Suez and Saignon. At Suez, a basin for repairs, capable of receiving vessels of the largest size, will be finished in fifteen months. A large workshop has been establish ;d in the midst oH the sands, and surrounded by workmen's cities for both Europeans and Arabs. From the present time the company will possess the means of effecting the most important repaii s of machinery. Fresh water from the canal is conducted to the workshops and int.) the city by pipes a mile and a quarter in length, and in a short space of time fountains will supply every person with all the water la may need, to the great astonishment of the .Arab population.