300 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



world after they have been carefully examined upon 

 the spot. I hope it will be so for the interoceanic 

 canal in question, and as regards the piercing of the 

 Isthmus of Suez, upon which the chairman has re- 

 quested me to address you, I can assure you that the 

 enterprise is perfectly feasible. 



" ' The majority of the Commission, comprising the 

 most eminent engineers in Europe, which was ap- 

 pointed to study the question, went to Egypt, and 

 was unanimous in declaring that the canalising of the 

 Isthmus of Suez, and the creation of two ports on the 

 Eed Sea and the Mediterranean, were easy and certain 

 operations. 



" ' The roadstead of Suez is vast and safe. More 

 than five hundred vessels could ride there at the 

 same time. It has a depth of from 16 feet to 42 feet, 

 with a very good bed of mud for anchorage. The 

 English corvette Zenobia has been there for three 

 years as a coaling ship for the East India packets; 

 she is stationed in the part most exposed to the 

 wind, and during these three years she has never 

 dragged her anchor, her cables have never been 

 broken, and her communication with land has not 

 once been cut off which is more than can be said 

 of many very good ports. There are two clean and 

 deep channels, broad enough to wear ship in any 

 weather, and with a depth of from 50 to 65 feet, by 

 which ships can reach the anchoring ground. The 

 Commission has been able to conclude from this that 



