1870.] 



Mr. J. F. Bateman on the Suez Canal. 



139 



small to supply the loss, and that the result would be that the water in these 

 Lakes must settle to a level below the low water of a spring tide in the Red 

 Sea. It was urged too that there would be great difficulty in maintaining 

 the entrances to the harbours and the harbours themselves, and that bars 

 would inevitably form at each end of the canal. 



It will be seen therefore that, so recently as 1867, opinions were strongly 

 against the success of the canal, those persons who entertained contrary 

 views being in a considerable minority. 



In the commencement of this year Mr. John Fowler, C.E., wrote an 

 excellent letter to ' The Times ' on the condition in which he then found the 

 canal, and upon its prospects. The observations which he made, and the 

 conclusions at which he arrived, seem to have been carefully formed and 

 well grounded. He stated that the cost would greatly exceed the original 

 estimate, although the works were carried out of much less than the 

 originally proposed dimensions — that the works were in truth simple in 

 character, and in a soil favourable to execution, but of such vast magnitude, 

 and in a country presenting such peculiar difficulties in climate, and in the 

 absence of fresh water, that special organization and adoption of means of 

 no ordinary kind were required for their realization. He was of opinion 

 that large quantities of alluvium would find their way into the harbour at 

 Port Said, and that it would be necessary to make the western break- 

 water solid to prevent the deposit being carried through, as at present — 

 nevertheless that no apprehension need be entertained as to the channel 

 and harbour being silted up and destroyed, but that considerable expense 

 in dredging would be constantly required. He agreed with Mr. Hawkshaw 

 that the amount of drifting sand would not be such as materially to inter- 

 fere with maintenance, that various means might be adopted for limiting 

 the amount, but that, after every precaution, it would be necessary to 

 employ one or two powerful dredges to keep the canal clear from the sand 

 blown in. He was further of opinion that the protection of the slopes by 

 stone would be necessary. With reference to the evaporation from the 

 Bitter Lakes, and the current from the Red Sea to those Lakes, he be- 

 lieved that it would not be strong enough to affect injuriously the bottom 

 or sides of the channel, after they had been properly protected by stone 

 pitching. Mr. Fowler then entered into a consideration of the mode in 

 which the traffic should be carried on and the probable use to be made of 

 the canal, and concluded his letter with a well-deserved compliment to the 

 remarkable energy and perseverance of M. Lesseps, to the skill and re- 

 sources of M. Yoisin, the Engineer-in-chief, and the district engineers 

 acting under him, and to the great powers of organization and high qualities 

 of M. Levalley, the contractor. 



The total length of the canal from Port Said to Suez is 99 miles ; it 

 varies in width from 196 feet to 327 feet, having, however, in each case a 

 width of 72 feet in the centre, the slopes on each side of this centre- 



