PROGRESS OF THE SUEZ CANAL WORKS.

Grey River Argus, Issue 130, 10 November 1866, Page 3

PROGRESS OF THE SUEZ CANAL WORKS.

(From the Globe.) The Suez Canal enterprise, in s^ite of the fanfarodade with which it is surrounded, appears to be making some real progress. If the managers of the company would only have the wit to condense their annual reports into more moderate compass, it would be easier to see what has been clone. As it is, it requires some time, which a general reader can seldom spare, to pick out the few main facts which show the general aspect of the situation. There are two things in last j year's history which justifies some ex- j ultation on the part of the company. One is, that they haye at length received tho formal authorisation of the Sultan, thus putting an end, we arp told, to the "political" difficulties of. the undertaking. This may be important, though it is worth remarking that these difficulties have not for a good many years prevented as much digging and excavating in the Isthmus as the company "pleased. There can be no mistake, however, about the other success of which the company boast. The indemnity, which the Viceroy of Egypt agreed to pay in instalments extending over 14 years, is now to be paid up before the end of 1869. Considering that this indemnity, of about L 4,000,000 forms the bulk of the funds (about L 6,000,000 in all), which remain for the completion of the enterprise, it will be seen how. essential it was to have that indemnity realised within the next year or two, if the opening of the Canal was to take place at an early date. These are very considerable gains, although we may question the boasting statement in the report that never was company in a more promising condition. We have very vague particulars of what has been accomplished on the Isthmus, although last year about L 1,600,000 was expended. It was then promised that a provisional service, making use of the maritime canal from the Mediterranean -to Ismalia, and the Sweetwater Canal from that point to Suez, would be organised at the beginning of the present year. It will be recollected what boast was made of the actual transit of a coal-laden b:irge from sea to sea by this provisional route. It appears, however, that this .route has not yet been made available for commerce, justifying .the adverse reports at the time time, that the channel throughout was still too shallow for such a service, and that to let vessels pass it had been necessary at parts to dam the Sweetwater Canal to create a sufficient depth. We are now promised, however, the beginning of this provisional • service in a few months. The arrangements of vessels and tugs for the service are all nearly complete, and it is calculated the company, will be ablo to transport across the Isthmus about 2000 tons of merchandise a day. As to the opening of the maritime canal itself, in all its depth and breadth, we were told last yoar to expect that event in ISGS, but since then the managers have become- more modest. All that is said is that in the course of a year they will be able to fix definitely the date when tho works will be completed, and the exact cost they will have taken. Such is a general view of the voliuninoiis report now presented ; but wo m;iy add some particulars of the actual progress made with the works. First of all as to Port Said, the most important information is that a plan of enlarging the port has been adopted after an examination by a commission presided over by Admiral Iligault de Genouilly. The breakwaters, instead of being parallel, "sure to diverge towards the shore, thus enclosing a larger space. The western je!ty — the most important, looking to the prevailing winds — is so far completed as to shelter entirely vessels drawing five metres. The eastern jetty is also making progress, and " before the end of 1567 " all vessels arriving may be sheltered between the jetties. The great basin of the; port has also been excavated to receive vessels drawing five metres, and the entrance to it is excavated to a slightly greater depth. Advancing from Port Said to Lake Timsah, we find there is little to remark, except that the dredgiiig operations minutely described in last year's report are .proceeding. We are told, however, to what depth and width the channel has actually attained. A precise statement of this kind, enabling us to compare the state of things last year with the present, would have been very desirable. It is to 'be feared the channel is as yet nothing to boast of. Something, however, has actually been done during the yefir to dig the channel between Lake Timsah and Suez, which, until last year, had been touched. For about fourteen kilometres from Lake Timsah two portions of the canal have been excavated to the depth of two metres below the level of the sea, and dredges will now be employed, tlyj dry channel being filled with water from Lake Timsah and the Sweetwater Canal. Further on, one of the most formidable engineering difficulties on the route has been overcome. The rock of Chalouf has been penetrated to the full depth of the future canal, the works having been commenced in December last, and being now finished. In a iew weeks, we are promised that the waters of the Sweetwater Canal will fill a channel all the way from Lake Timsah to Suez, and dredging operations will then be going forward from sea to sea. As we have already said, M. de Lesseps promises that in another year he will fix the exact date of opening the' canal. We shall soon, therefore, be able to judge of the feasibility of the enterprise. Meantime, it becomes more and more obvious that, whether a maritime canal ever be finished and kept open, the works have incidentally led to the establishment of an important colony. A large tract of land has been conquered from the desert, and is available by means of the Sweetwater Canal alone. It is for the sake of the additional territory to be cultivated by his workmen that the Viceroy of Egypt appears to patronise the undertaking. At any rate, there are now 18,000 on the Isthmus, of whom 6000 are in Port Said", and over 4000 at Ismailia. Port Said is also becoming a port of some consequence, the trade during the year ending July last having brought to ttie port 595 ships, with a tonnage of 108,539. Port Said has besides become the terminus of a regular service from Alexandra, in connection with the Messageries Imperiales Company, and is a place of call for another French company, 'well as.

for the steamers of the Russian Imperial Company. Another work of importance •in progress is being made by the Viceroy of Egypt — a new inlet from the Nile at Cairo, by which a better supply of water will be obtained for the Sweetwater Canals. This new inlet is to be finished in time for the next rising of the Nile waters, and will be of immense importance to the cultivation of the. district through which the canal is traced. Whether it succeeds or fails in the ultimate end, the Suez Canal enterprise must contribute greatly to the future prosperity of Egypt.