£88 Mr Mac] arenas Account of the Ancient Canal 
Though the French engineers considered the old line to the 
Delta preferable to that directly across the desert, they were 
still of opinion, that a branch from the Bitter Lakes to Tyneh 
would have several advantages. Being fed entirely by the salt 
waters of the Gulph, it would be independent of the floods of 
the Nile, and would, of course, be equally navigable at all sea- 
sons. The chief difficulty arises from the extreme shallowness 
of the sea at Tyneh, and every where on this side of the Nile, 
in consequence of the muddy deposits of the river being all borne 
eastward by a marine current. If the vast Basin of the Bitter 
Lakes were prolonged to Ras-el-Moyeh, by running a dike a- 
cross the valley, the engineers think that a stream, with a fall of 
25 feet from that point, would have energy enough not only to 
clear the canal of drift-sand, but to hollow T out and maintain a 
channel in the shallow muddy bottom of the bay, so as to afford 
a reasonable depth of water into the port. 
Vessels, after passing from the Red Sea toBubastis by this canal, 
would proceed by the canal of Moes to the eastern large branch 
of the Nile, and reach the Mediterranean by the Boghas of Da- 
mietta. But the plans of the French engineers embraced an in- 
land communication with the harbour of Alexandria. The 
vessel having arrived at Bubastis, would ascend the canal of 
Moes to the great eastern branch of the Nile, then, after ascend- 
ing that branch fifteen or twenty miles, pass obliquely through 
the Della by the Canal of Farounah or Menouf, then sail down 
the Rosetta branch to Ramanieh, and from Ramanieh pass west- 
ward by the Canal of Alexandria to that port. 
The following is an abstract of the estimate of the expence. 
The engineers think, that with 10,000 labourers, the work might 
be completed in four years. 
Canal from the Nile to Suez. 
Francs. 
Digging, banking, "transport, implements, &c., - 7,868,000 
Branch canal from the Bitter Lakes to the Mediterranean, - 2,500,000 
10.386.000 
Basins, sluices, piers, bridges, including 1,500,000 f. for military 
works, - 5,600,000 
15.968.000 
Expences of encampment, transport of provisions during- four years, 
price of ground, superintendance, &c., - 1,300,000 
17.268.000 
In English money, L. 691,000 
