246 THE MARITIME CANAL OF SUEZ. 



et la Mer Rouge etant I'un des evenements les plus desirables de ce siecle de 

 science et de progres, des conferences ont eu lieu depuis un certain temps avec la 

 Compagnie qui demande a executer c travail, et elles viennent d'abouter d'une 

 fa^on conforme, pour le present et pour I'avenir, aux droits sacres de 1» Porte 

 comme a ceux du Gouvernement Egyptien. Le contrat dont ci-apres la teneur 

 des articles en traduction, a ete dress^ et signe par le Gouvernement Egyptien con- 

 jointement avce le representant de la Compagnie ; il a ete soumis k notre sanc- 

 tion Imperiale, et apres I'avoir lu, nous lui avons donne notre acceptation. 



"Le present Firman, fimane de notre Divan Imperial, est rendu a cet effet, que 

 nous donnons notre autorisation souveraine a I'execution du Canal par la dite 

 Compagnie aux conditions stipulees dans ce contrat comme aussi au reglement 

 des tous les accessoires selon ce contrat et les actes et conventions y inscrits et 

 designes qui en font partie integrante. 



" Donne le 2 Zelhidje, 1282, 19 Mars, 1866." 



THE OPENING OF THE CANAL. 



This arrangement having been satisfactorily concluded, the posi- 

 tion of the Company was unassailable, and they accordingly 

 resumed their suspended labours, and the works were rapidly 

 pushed forward, and in November, 1869, the last great cutting at 

 Chalouf being completed, preparations were made on a scale 

 worthy of the great event, for the inaugural ceremony of the 

 opening. 



For Ferdinand de Lesseps, who had manfully struggled for many 

 years, from 1854 to 1869, to carry through this great engineering 

 enterprise, the opening ceremonial was a noble reward for all his 

 efforts, a consummation that he might justly be proud of, for it was 

 an enterprise as stupendous in its conception and execution, as it 

 was destined to be beneficent in its far-reaching results. 



The construction of the Maritime Canal of Suez, from sea to sea, 

 92 miles in length, 100 yards in width, and 26 feet in depth, was 

 no longer to be considered a problem, as it had now received a 

 satisfactory solution. 



Ferdinand de Lesseps had achieved an immense triumph over 

 obstacles that had, throughout the centuries of remote antiquity, 

 baffled the Sovereigns of the dynasties of the Pharaohs and 

 Ptolemies, and, herein, he had proved himself to be a "man of 

 genius." 



On Tuesday, the i6th November, 1869, the eventful day so long 

 looked forward to, the ceremony of inaugurating the opening, was 

 performed in the presence of the representatives of several of the 



