multiplying and strengthening the ties by which people of all climates,
of all races, of all beliefs are united to Great Britain, will connect
for ever the general prosperity of nations with the happiness of our
country, their security with its power, their independence with its
liberty.”
We believe we have abundantly proved the possibility of constructing the
Maritime Canal with its two entrances, one from the Mediterranean, the
other from the Red Sea, and its interior harbour at Lake Timsah. The
facilities and advantages which it offers to commerce and navigation as
well as to Egypt can no longer be a matter of doubt, and let us say with
the illustrious author of the memorial upon the Nicaragua Canal:—“Think
of the almost miraculous effects which will be produced by the annual
passage across this fine country of 2 to 3000 vessels, which would
exchange their productions for those of the East, and cause life and
riches to circulate everywhere. We may picture to ourselves those shores,
now so solitary, peopled with towns and villages; those lakes now gloomy
and silent, furrowed by ships; those rugged lands fertilised, and the
interior canal carrying the benefits of civilization into the heart of
the country.”
It only now remains to enter upon the financial and economical
considerations of the undertaking; but before approaching this part of
the question, it is necessary to complete the exposition of the scheme by
describing the canal of communication and irrigation which will connect
the interior of Egypt with the Maritime Canal.
This Canal must fulfil three conditions.
It should be of a section sufficiently large to admit the craft and
steam boats that navigate the Nile, in order to allow access to the
interior harbour from all points of Egypt without the inconvenience of
trans-shipment. The volume of water to be supplied to the Canal should be
sufficient, after allowing for all losses by evaporation, infiltration,
and the passage of the locks, for the irrigation of 100,000 _feddans_
(40,000 _hectares_) during the winter, and 60,000 _feddans_ (24,000
_hectares_) during the summer. Lastly, the level of the water ought to
be maintained at the most favourable height for the natural irrigation
of the immense tracts of land in the Isthmus which now remain barren for
want of water.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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