THE PROPOSED MEDITERRA. NEAN CANAL.

West Coast Times, Issue 6625, 1 November 1887, Page 4

THE PROPOSED MEDITERRA. NEAN CANAL.

The project of connecting the Mediterranean and the B iy of Biscay by means of a oanal traversing the south of France has of ton been under discussion. The oanal between the two seas would ghorten by Beveral days the distance between the English ports, the North S;n, and the eastern basin of the Mediterranean, and the extreme E<st, The dues levied upon the ships passing through the oanal would be amply compensated tor by this economy of time and the security gained by avoiding tbe stormy coasts of Spain and Portugal during the winter months. The most rational route would be from Bordeaux to Cette by Agen, Montauban, Toulouse, Catcaisone, and Bgziers. From Bordeaux the canal would generally follow the course of the Garonne, passing on its right bank ; it would tsp the Lot, the Ayeyron, and the Tarn, and either draw its supplies direct from their waters, or through the creation of vast reservoir?. After p jssing Toulouse it would run the course of the South Canal, would ppcsa c s by Beziers, aDd terminate in the Lake of Thau, which would be transformed into an inland port, and take, from a defensive point of view, the same position on the Mediterranean as the estuary of the Garonne on the i eastern coast of France.