with the Mediterranean. 131 



frefh and fait waters. It would fave nothing either in con- 

 ftructing or the labour of managing the locks : in fhort, it 

 would increafe in a prodigious degree the folid content of 

 the excavations and the' general expence of the works, 



4. The fmallell elevation which the canal ought to have 

 would be fixed then by the greateft height of the waters 

 either of the fea or the river. But in fuch an extent it is 

 probable that feveral eminences might oppofe this general 

 level; an( J ever! \ n carrying the canal round thefe the labour 

 Would undoubtedly be increafed. In fhort, it would be im- 

 poflible to avoid the neceffity of making the canal begin on a 

 ridge or eminence; by which means it would defcend by 

 two inclined planes, one on the eaft towards the fea, and 

 the other on the weft towards the Nile, 



5 ^ In that cafe the queftion would be, to determine the 

 Maximum and the place of the elevation, which could be 

 done only after a long examination of the fpot, and an exact 

 furvey of the higheft part of the ground, by means of le- 

 velling. The eflential object of this examination will be, 

 I. To avoid both the fands which are to the north, and the 

 rocks or mountains that abound in the fouth. 2. To find 

 on the ridge of the latter that fpot which would correfpond 

 beft with the following conditions, viz. that the canal might 

 be rendered as fliort and as little expofed to windings as pof- 

 fible ; and that its point of departure fhould be fo low that 

 vefTels might alcend to it by the feweft poffible number of 

 locks, and yet give occafion to as little digging as poffible. 

 3. And as thefe three conditions will often be unattainable 

 at the fame time, to balance them, and to make them reci- 

 procally give way and prevail in fuch a manner that the me- 

 dium may enfure the mod advantageous refult in the greatett 

 number of refpe&s. 



6. Having thus determined the fummit or higheft point of 

 departure, with the length and depth of the canal, we may 

 ftafily find, and without any doubt, the means of filling it, 



K^ and 



