April 11, 1859.] PIM ON THE ISTHMUS OF SUEZ. 193 



on the rapidity with which your wishes have of late been conveyed 

 to all parts of your Indian possessions. The three last overland 

 mails have brought despatches from London to Bombay in 58, 45, 

 and 64 days, and those intended for Calcutta have been forwarded 

 in 10 days. We have witnessed the energetic impulse this early 

 intelligence has given to the mercantile interest, and the unbounded 

 satisfaction it has diffused throughout all classes of the community. 

 It is, indeed, undeniable that a quick interchange of information is 

 of the first advantage in commerce, and in the conduct of all public 

 business ; while it is equally true that its effect on the minds of 

 those who serve the Honourable Company long and faithfully in 

 this distant land, is to deprive the painful feeling of separation 

 from their homes and country of half its bitterness. We beg respect- 

 fully to press these reflections on the notice of your Honourable 

 Court, with our earnest prayer that you will, ere long, grant to 

 India the much desired boon of frequent and regular communication 

 with Europe by the employment of a sufficient number of steam- 

 vessels for that purpose." — Porters Progress of the Nation, p. 320. 



The "Overland Eoute" being an established fact, attention was 

 soon directed towards its improvement, which has since been surely, 

 though slowly, progressing. At first, the mails from India to Suez 

 were brought by the ships of the East India Company, but in 

 1841 a contract was made with the Peninsular and Oriental Com- 

 pany, and since that period no expense or exertion has been 

 spared by them to exceed even the terms of their contract. The 

 next improvement which superseded the tedious and painful journey 

 by Nile-boat, van, and camel, was the completion of a railway, first 

 from Alexandria to Cairo, and then from Cairo to Suez. 



This great work has considerably shortened the journey, and, 

 what is more, has found favour even in the eyes of the ignorant 

 Mohammedan inhabitants. It will be interesting to detail briefly 

 the history of these two railways, for, though they form one great 

 line, yet the one is as different from the other as it is possible to 

 conceive. 



The construction of the line from Alexandria to Cairo was 

 undertaken by Mr. Eobert Stephenson ; it was commenced on the 

 9th of February, 1852; reached the Nile at Kafr Azzayat, exactly 

 half-way between Alexandria and Cairo, on the 4th of July, 1854 ; 

 and finally entered Cairo on the 1st of December, 1855, having 

 been three years ten months in completing. 



There are eight stations ; the line is perfectly level the whole 

 way, with only one cutting through the mound of a deserted village, 

 and its entire length is 131 miles. Iron sleepers are used, supported 



