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



on bells of the same metal, a plan adopted by Mr. Stephenson, 

 as admirably adapted to sustain the rails on the peculiar soil of 

 Egypt. 



The difficulty in crossing the Nile was obviated by means of a 

 steam ferry, the striking peculiarity of which arises from the neces- 

 sity to adapt the floor and rails to the exact level of the railway at 

 each side, under the extreme variation of level to which the waters 

 of the Nile are subject. By an ingenious mechanical contrivance, 

 the platform is raised or depressed as the waters of the Nile require, 

 and this, together with an exact adjustment of the rails and the 

 most perfect facility of access to and egress from the framework, is 

 ingeniously provided for. The entire cost of this ferry amounted 

 to 15,000/. 



A handsome iron bridge, which will supersede the ferry, is in 

 course of construction, under the direction of Mr. Eouse, c.e., and 

 will be opened for traffic in June next. 



The entire cost of the railway-works from Alexandria to Cairo is 

 under 1,000,000/., or less than 7500/. per mile. At present, the 

 time occupied in the journey from Alexandria to Cairo is seven 

 hours, but when the bridge at Kafr Azzayat is opened to traffic a 

 great reduction will take place. 



The completion of this half of the transit line was hailed with 

 great rejoicing; every difficulty had been triumphantly grappled 

 with: the native Fellahs, owing to excellent arrangements made 

 for their comfort and welfare, had escaped the disasters usually 

 attendant upon the construction of public works in Egypt, and, 

 what is more, so thoroughly understood the utility of the work they 

 were employed upon that, as already mentioned, they actually 

 volunteered to make the embankments for two branch lines, one of 

 which was completed in a year, and will open up the richest part 

 of the Delta. It is the Pasha's intention to employ no one but 

 Arabs upon these branch lines. 



It now remained to perfect the transit route by a railway to Suez, 

 and the obvious course the line should take was indicated, viz., to 

 branch off from Benha, by way of Zagazig, through the Ouadee 

 Toumilat (Land of Goshen) and past the Bitter Lakes to Suez. 

 This route possessed two great advantages — a level country the 

 whole way, and the means of obtaining abundance of water. It 

 was, however, urged upon the Pasha that the English had enjoyed 

 the emoluments resulting from the construction of the first half of 

 the railway, and, therefore, to the French the remaining half ought 

 to be devoted ; accordingly, the continuation of the line to Suez 

 was intrusted to a French engineer, M. Mouchelet. This gentleman 



