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Mr. J. F. Bateman on the Suez Canal. [Jan. 6, 



The following communication was read : — 



" Some Account of the Suez Canal, in a Letter to the President." 

 By J. F. Bateman, Esq., F.R.S. Received January 3, 1870. 



1G Great George Street, Westminster, 

 27th December, 1809. 

 My dear Sir Edward, — On my return from the opening of the Suez 

 Canal, where, by your kind selection, I had the honour of representing the 

 Hoval Society as the guest of the Viceroy, I think it incumbent on me to 

 give a short account of my journey and my impressions of the great and 

 important undertaking which was so magnificently inaugurated. 



Nothing could exceed the splendid hospitality of the Viceroy, who had 

 in every possible way provided for the accommodation and the comfort of 

 his guests. The crowd of visitors, however, was so great, and his own 

 personal attendance was so constantly given to the Empress of the French, 

 the Emperor of Austria, and other Royal personages who honoured him 

 with their company, that it was almost impossible for him to bestow any 

 special attention on other individual guests ; but few or none could com- 

 plain of any want of attention or of any material inconvenience. 



I was fortunate in being present at every important point and on every 

 important occasion, and in receiving all the civilities which might be con- 

 sidered due to the representative of the Royal Society. 



Of the work itself I have no hesitation in pronouncing it a decided 

 success — not all that could be desired, nor all that was promised, and very 

 far from being finished, even on the contracted scale on which it has been 

 executed. A reef of rocks at Serapeum, extending for about 85 metres 

 in length, at a depth of 10 or 17 feet below the surface of the canal, 

 and which was not discovered till just before the period fixed for the 

 opening, at present limits the draft of vessels which can use the navi- 

 gation. There are some objectionable curves and narrow places, and many 

 miles of unprotected slopes, all of which must be improved or remedied 

 before the canal can be placed in a satisfactory condition. Still, in its 

 present state, vessels drawing not more than 1 6 feet can pass from end to 

 end with facility and safety ; and when the rocks alluded to are removed, 

 the depth will be increased to 21 or 22 feet. 



For years before the commencement of the project which has been, so 

 far, happily concluded, the practicability of forming and maintaining a 

 maritime canal between the Red Sea and the Mediterranean was a much- 

 disputed point among modern engineers. Tt was known that a water 

 communication between the two seas had existed and been maintained for 

 600 years before, and for about 800 years after, the commencement of the 

 Christian era ; subsequent to which time it was allowed to fall into decay, 

 and for a thousand years has so remained. 



The first idea, in modern times, of restoring this ancient water commu- 



