THE SUEZ CANAL.

Press, Volume XII, Issue 1475, 31 July 1867, Page 3

THE SUEZ CANAL.

A correspondent, writing from Mansoura, the " Manchester of Egypt," on the 15th March, says :—" I have lately had an opportunity of seeing the works of the Suez Canal, not those at Port Said, which are the most advanced, but those adjacent to Lake Timsah, and between that basin and Suez. The town of lamailieh, on the shores of the lake, is a place of some importance, containing all the chief offices of the administration, and about 5000 inhabitants. Although the maritime canal reaches as far the lake —and, indeed, some distance beyond it—the junction is not yet practicable for shipping, and great efforts are now being made to deepen the approaches and the bed of the lake, which will thus be converted into an important inland port. The most extensive works near Ismailieh are, however, at El G-hirsh, distant some five miles, where a deep cutting has been made through the sand, and the excavated material has to be carried a considerable distance to avoid its being blown back into the bed of tne canal. Here are twenty-four locomotives at work, and an immense number of ballast waggons; while a village has sprung up, the neatness and even beauty of which are almost incredible. As at Ismailieh, a church has been built for the Europeans, and a mosque for the Arabs, a school for the rising generation, and an hospital for the Bick, a pattern of cleanliness and order; while the fine arts are ably represented by a photographer, who has settled there, and is producing a set of views for the Paris Exhibition. The maritime canal is now about twelve feet deep, but is intended to hold twenty-six feet of water when finished. Even this, it seems to mc, will be sufficient for the draught of a large Indiaman. The sweet water canal by which my journey was made is about the same depth between Lake Timsah and Suez, and rather shallower between the lake and Zagazig. The freßh water is conveyed in pipes from Ismailieh to Port Said, and a steam service is organised between these two places. On the fresh water canal the boats are drawn by mules. Between Ismailieh and Suez but little progress has yet been made with the maritime canal, though excavations are made the whole distance. At Suez, however, important works are in progress, especially the construction of docks.

The Government have adopted the original idea of Stephenson, viz., that the best route for the Suez line lies through the land of Goshen, following the present course of the sweet water canal. They have already constructed a railway from Zagazig to Ismailieh, and it is hoped that the complementary line from that place to Suez will be finished by October next, when the overland transit of our troops will commence. Cairo will thus be avoided, and the journey much facilitated, occupying ten hours instead of sixteen as at present.