184 PIM ON THE ISTHMUS OF SUEZ. [April 11, 1859. 



tlie more extraordinary as they were sucli excellent hydraulic engi- 

 neers : even the French fell into the same error ; in short, snch a 

 notion prevailed until very lately : — for instance, the Mediterranean 

 was conceived to be higher than the Atlantic; the Euxine as 

 much as 40 feet above the ^gean ; and, still more strange, the gulfs 

 of Egina and Corinth were supposed to have a very great difference 

 of level. Even as late as the commencement of this century few 

 dared call this theory in question, but it is worth noting that La- 

 place and Fourier came to the conclusion that a difference of level 



In the present day it is received as an axiom that no matter how 

 narrow the separation between the two seas, both of them belong 

 essentially to that vast expanse of ocean, and are therefore subject 

 to the same levelling law. 



This fact was not proved till 1846 : in that year M. Talabot, an 

 eminent engineer, M. de Negrelli, an Austrian, and Mr. Robert Ste- 

 phenson entered into a formal agreement to share the labour and cost 

 of a preliminary investigation, with a view to test the practicability 

 of a project suggested to M. Talabot by Linant Bey, a French engi- 

 neer, resident many years in Egypt, — namely, cutting a canal across 

 the Isthmus of Suez. 



A corps of scientific engineers was accordingly sent out, and 

 reported in January, 1847, that, after the most careful series of levels, 

 they had ascertained beyond question that no difference of level 

 whatever existed between the two seas, and that consequently a 

 canal, capable of being scoured by the waters of either sea, was im- 

 practicable, especially as both may be said to b'e nearly tideless. 



The arrangements made by the three gentlemen just named were 

 as follows : — M. Talabot was to superintend the levelling operations, 

 M. de Negrelli to undertake the hydrographical inspection of the 

 Bay of Tineh or Pelusium, while Mr. Robert Stephenson examined 

 the Red Sea outlet of the proposed canal in the vicinity of Suez. 



Circumstances prevented Messrs. Talabot and Negrelli from visit- 

 ing Egypt, although they were represented by carefully selected 

 employees, but Mr. R. Stephenson made a personal inspection of the 

 ground, and thoroughly mastered all the scientific and technical 

 details of the project. The result of these admirable arrangements 

 was a complete exhaustive survey of the locality, which led to the 

 unanimous conviction that the construction of a direct canal between 

 Suez and Tineh was a difficulty insurmountable. 



A comprehensive report of these proceedings was drawn up by 

 M. Talabot, and is one of the most lucid documents ever written on 

 the subject. The evidence just detailed appeared so conclusive that 



