The Lyttelton Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1869.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 2606, 12 May 1869, Page 2

The Lyttelton Times. WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1869.

The Suez Canal, the Moat Cenis Tunnel, and the Central Pacific Railway, are the most important as well as the most gigantic enterprises of the present day. Although they possess a special interest for the professional and scientific portion of the public, they will be generally regarded from that point of view in which their probable influence on commerce has to be considered. We have frequently directed public attention to the Pacific Railway, and have pointed out the results which are expected from its completion. With regard to the Mont Cenis Tunnel, it is hardly necessary as yet —so remote is the date at which it will probably be finished—to discuss the benefits that may be reasonably looked for when it is ranked among the recognised commercial highways of the world. Definite and reliable information regarding the Suez Canal has not, till recently, been available. Mr John Fowler, an eminent English engineer, who accompanied the Prince of Wales in his tour through Egypt, has furnished a very able and exhaustive report to The Timet, and it may not be uninteresting to a large portion of the public if we endeavour to lay before them the chief points of bis observations.

Mr Fowler very truly remarks that few works of private enterprise have caused so much political discussion and excitement, and none perhaps, so much engineering attention, as those of the Suez Canal. Lord Palmerston was the first person of note who pointed out the terms of the concession originally proposed for the work, and since then many changes have been made both in their territorial and political character. After many compromises, awards, and payments, the Suez Canal Company have been placed in a position very advantageous to themselves, but with reservations which Mr Fowler thinks are free from objections towards others. It appears that the land originally granted to the company, for ninetynine years after the opening of the canal, is now limited to the extent actually required for the works, and to a well defined additional quantity for purposes connected therewith. They have no power of selling any portion of these lands, and all persons who reside upon them are subject to the same local and consular jurisdiction as is applicable to residents in other parts of Egypt. This result, which is obviously of great importance to European nationalities and of interest to all countries, has not been easily achieved. Mr Fowler, while referring to Mr Robert Stephenson's frequently expressed objections to the scheme, iis of opinion that his views were formed without any reference whatever to an abstract proposition; that, in short, Mr Stephenson would have favoured the idea of a canal under other conditions as to time, cost, and dimensions.

The total length of the canal is ninety-nine miles, and Mr Fowler informs ns that, with minute exceptions, the whole is in course of excavation according to one or other of two sections. In the first, the canal is one hundred and ninety-six feet wide at the surface of the water, seventy-two feet wide at the bottom, and twentysix feet deep. In the second section, the width at the surface is three hundred and twenty-seven feet, the depth and width at the bottom, being the same as in the first section. According to the original estimates, the total quantity of excavation was 78.000. cubic yards. Of this, 53.000. had been completed up to the middle of December last, leaving 25.000. still to be done. From eight to nine thousand men were emSloyed on the works at the time of Ir Fowler’s visit, and, although the quantity of excavation yet remaining is large, he thinks it possible that, in the absence of unforeseen contingencies, the canal may be sufficiently completed for the purposes of traffic dnring the current year. It ia necessary to observe that in giving this opinion Mr Fowler bases it on the average rate of progreea for the fdw months preceding his visit The question of maintaining the canal and its Heditartanea* bar*

hour of Port Said permanently open for traffic has excited almost as much professional and public atten* tion as the construction itself. In some minds, says Mr Fowler, probably much greater doubt and difficulty have been felt on this than on any other point. The difficulties of maintenance are stated to be as follows: 1. The prevention of Nile deposit choking up Port Said. 2. The impossibility of preventing the sand of the desert drifting into the canal in quantities totally unmanageable. S. The difficulty of protecting the banks ot the canal against the destructive action of the wave caused by passing vessels. 4. The impossibility or difficulty of supplying the abstraction of the water of the bitter lakes during the evaporation of the summer months through the ordinary action of the canal. Mr Fowler discusses these at length. With regard to the first, he says that after the most careful observation he has been able to make of the old and new shore at Port Said, and the operations and consequences now going on there, he is ot opinion that no apprehension need be entertained as to the channel and harbour being silted up or destroyed. At the same time, he believes that considerable expense in dredging will have to be constantly incurred. The difficulty with respect to drdtingsand may be estimated from the fact that during a period of twelve months 40,000 cubic yards were found to have passed in at one point and 270,000 at another. On the whole, however, it does not appear that this difficulty is insurmountable or that it will even entail much expense. Mr Fowler believes that it will be found necessary to make a proper and immediate protection of the slopes by stone pitching above and below the surface of the water along the whole course of the canal, if the traffic is to be conducted at a reasonable rate of speed. With reference to the alleged impossibility or difficulty of supplying the abstraction of water from the bitter lakes, Mr Fowler is not very decided. He seems to think that, altogether, it has been greatly exaggerated. We gather from Mr Fowler’s report that a special commission had been engaged for some time on an enquiry as to the traction power which it is necessary to employ on the canal. The commission, after considering many expedients and suggestions, came to the conclusion that steam vessels, except those with paddle wheels, might use their own power, and that any vessel might be towed through by steam tugs. The speed, in all cases, will be regulated hereafter. Mr Fowler is of opinion that this is the best decision which could have been arrived at, both for economy and convenience. There are other questions in the working of the canal which have given rise to some controversy. One or two of these are referred to by Mr Fowler. Speaking of the alleged impossibility of two large vessels passing each other until the canal is enlarged, he says that this point must be dealt with by regulations very similar to those adopted on a single line of railway. ,If, however, the traffic should rapidly become very large, it is possiblethat several “ passing places ” will have to be provided without waiting for the widening of the whole canal. Again, it has been suggested that a strong side wind would be a considerable difficulty, and it is admitted that occasionally it may be found almost impossible to keep a large vessel from the sides of the canal. Mr Fowler, while acknowledging that in the Caledonial Canal this difficulty is often experienced even with small vessels, remarks that in Egypt very strong winds from the east and west are not common. The obstacle will, he thinks, not amount to more than a simple retardation of the speed of the vessel, and the necessity of lowering all masts and rigging capable of being lowered. Besides, one or two attendant tug vessels, when required, can be made available for the purpose of enabling a vessel to keep the channel of the canal.

It may be asked what use will be made of the Suez Canal. This question is also considered by Mr Fowler, and his views appear to be founded on reasonable premises. It may be assumed, he says, with tolerable safety, that provided the canal be maintained in full depth and efficiency, and that the charges made for its use are not unreasonable, the steam passenger and mail traffic now carried on between Europe and India will chiefly pass through the canal. It may with equal safety be assumed that sailing vessels, which would not only require steam tugs shrongh the canal, but also down the Bed Sea, will not use the canal. A certain amount of local traffic between the Mediterranean and Bed Sea porta will no doubt use the canal. The great element of uncertainty, and one on which the commercial success of the Suez Canal will chiefly depend, is yhether new sailing vessels, with adequate auxiliary steam power specially adapted to the canal and the Bed Sea, will be constructed, so as to divert the large traffic now being carried round the Cape. Mr Fowler thinks that enterprising firms will try this experiment, and that if they are successful the Suez Canal will secure a great position both for usefulness and profit.