easily held in suspension than when near the coast, where the depth is less, they are also less easily carried off by the littoral current; deposits are formed and rise, until the combined action of the waves and the current no longer permit any fresh matter to subside. Whatever may be thought of this explanation, it must be admitted that the alluvium brought by the sea, no less than that brought by rivers, prevents our obtaining a depth of water at the mouths of those rivers. Artificial sluices, therefore, appear to have no power to preserve a permanent depth of water. If then we are permitted to renounce the idea of having recourse to the use of sluices for maintaining the depth of water at Pelusium and at Suez, it will be very easy by means of dredges to ensure the continuance of this depth, as is already done at the entrance of several ports, and particularly at that of the port of Cette. The employment of dredges will allow of a considerable saving in the cost of establishing the Canal. The portion of the expenses required for the sluices would certainly be greater than the capital representing twenty times the annual expense of dredging. Another saving (of 3,750,000) might be effected by dispensing with the intended breakwater or defensive mole at Pelusium. The channel as it is planned will probably be considered accessible in all winds which are likely to create a rough sea; there is no occasion then for us to trouble ourselves with the fear of seeing ships miss the entrance. There are a great many important seaports, Alexandria for instance, where a ship cannot enter after sunset, in a much worse nautical condition than that at Pelusium will be, and near which nevertheless there is no sheltered anchorage. We may name the port of Liverpool, which is not accessible at low water for large ships. We may also mention the port of Havre, into which large ships can only enter during three hours out of twelve, and yet the number of disasters on those coasts is not relatively greater than elsewhere. We have not deducted from the amount of expenditure any of the returns, which will be received during the execution of the works, and which will not fail to be important:—thus the inland Canal of communication being finished in the first campaign, there will be the transport of all the agricultural produce along it for five years. In the second year the Canal going as far as Suez, there will be, for four years, the lock dues and the profits of transport, which may be valued at an average annual value of 1,000,000 _fr._ There will be, moreover, the profits arising from the cultivation of the lands, which will increase every year, and will not be of less average annual value than 1,000,000 _fr._ This already makes an income of 8,000,000 _fr._