April 11, 1859.] PIM ON THE ISTHMUS OF SUEZ. 189 



see that the success of this undertaking is involved in the greatest 

 uncertainty. Before leaving this part of the subject, I will briefly 

 allude to the cost of such a work. Take the Breakwater at Plymouth 

 for example, which cost 1,500,000/., and was twenty-eight years in 

 finishing : surely a work of twice its magnitude and labouring under 

 much greater disadvantages would cost twice as much ; but, instead 

 of the estimate of Port Said being 3,000,000/., it is only put down at 

 842,362/. in M. Lesseps' scheme. We now come to the canal itself, 

 an open cut without locks, of 92 miles in length. To dredge such 

 a cut 26 feet below low water of the Mediterranean has been pro- 

 nounced impracticable by the very highest authority. 



I shall not touch on the technical points of objection, but merely 

 ask you to picture to yourselves the cutting a trench 92 miles in 

 length, 330 feet broad, and 26 feet below the low- water level of the 

 Mediterranean ; for though it is true that certain depressions occur 

 on the route, viz. Lakes Timsah and the Bitter Lakes, yet one is 

 only two feet below the Mediterranean, and the other would require 

 embankments ; and when the cutting through the elevated ground 

 is taken into calculation, it will be quite evident that the gain is 

 balanced by the loss. The mere labour of such a work is enor- 

 mous ; but when the nature of the soil is considered, it indeed 

 assumes a hopeless appearance; the sand to an average depth of 13 

 feet might be removed, but at that depth water is met with. Lake 

 Mensalah has the character of being like a quicksand, and most 

 probably the entire subsoil will prove more or less the same. Yet 

 for this gigantic undertaking the estimate is only 3,500,000/. 

 As a check to this estimate, I will remind you of the dimen- 

 sions and cost of the Caledonian Canal, one of the largest ship 

 canals in the world: its cuttings are about 25 miles, its depth 

 15 feet, width 50 feet, and cost about 1,000,000/. The Suez Canal 

 in actual length only is nearly four times as long, but when the 

 breadth and depth are considered it cannot be calculated at less 

 than eight times the size. To be within the mark in making a 

 comparison of cost, always supposing no greater difficulties than 

 those met with in the construction of the Caledonian Canal, I 

 consider 6,000,000/. the least sum that can be required. 



We now arrive at the Red Sea outlet of the canal, viz. the Port 

 of Suez, and here again difficulties are met with. Piers of scarcely 

 less aggregate length are proposed, which traverse a sandshoal ; 

 lighthouses, &c., have to be constructed; but as the material is 

 close at hand, these difficulties may be overcome ; the estimate, 

 however, of 345,982/. 9s. Id, seems out of proportion to the nature 



