( 864 ) 



"towards Suez, bottomwidth 80 M., the velocity of' tlie high water 

 "flow at springtide is 0.60 to 0.70 M., at neaptide 0.45 to 0.50 M., 

 "in the winter-season with strong South wind 1.00 to 1.20 M. p. s. 

 "The velocity of the ebb flow at springtide is 0.55 to 0.60 M. In 

 "the summer with strong North wind 0.90 M. p. s. 



"Outside the mouth of the canal at Port-Thewfik no velocity of 

 "the current has been observed." 



The observations of 23 July 1892 made under circumstances 

 which, as regards the flow, were certainly not unfavourable, led already 

 to velocities which, at flood tide, ranged from 0.95 — 1.03 M. and 

 were in the mean 0.97 M. at flood tide and 1.11 M. at ebb. 



Mr. Dauzats, chief engineer of the Suez-canal, speaking at the 

 meetings of the Technical snbeommission of the International Con- 

 gress for the Panama canal in 1879, stated in regard to the sidings 

 of the Suez-canal, as follows l ) : 



"Dans les canaux on Ie courant < i st faible, et la ou n'existe aucnn 

 courant, il siiffil de faire les gares dun seul cóté ; mais des que la 

 vitesse atteint 0.75 ou 1.50 M, il faut les établir des deux cótés et 

 en face Tune de l'autre". 



By this statement we are certainly justified in concluding that the 

 said engineer, founding his opinion on 'nis experience of the Suez- 

 canal, deemed allowable velocities of the current of 1.50 M. The 

 small original bottomwidth of the Suez-canal of 22 M., however, 

 caused difficulties for the simultaneous navigation in both directions. 



The following communications of Mr. E. Queli.ennec, consulting- 

 engineer of the Suez-canal company, proves that these velocities of 

 the current offer no difficulties even for the big ships which at present 

 navigate the Suez-canal. These communications to the Board of Con- 

 sulting Engineers of 1905 are as follows : 



"In the Suez section the velocity of the current very often exceeds 

 0.60 meter per second, and reaches at times 1.35 Meters per second. 



"In the latter case the ships do not steer very well with the 

 "current running in ; however the navigation is never interrupted 

 "on account of the current. In the Port Said section ships can 

 "moor with a current running in either direction ; in the Suez 

 "section they always moor with the current running out". 3 ) 



The canal between the Bitter Lakes and the Red Sea has at 

 present a width of about 37 M., but a widening of the cross section 



u See: Congres international etc 1879, p. 361. 



2 ) See: Report of the Board of Consulting Engineers for the Panama-canal, Was- 

 hington 1906, p. 176. 



