The Suez Canal

The Suez Canal is a great artificial channel cutting the isthmus of Suez, and thus forming a waterway between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. It was planned and undertaken by the French engineer Lesseps, through whose untiring efforts a company was formed and the necessary capital raised.

Work on this canal was begun in 1,858 and was formally opened in November, 1869. It occupied 10 years in the construction (1859-69), and cost some 20 million pounds.

Its length is 100 miles from Port Said on the Mediterranean to Suez at the head of the Red Sea, 75 of which were excavated. A portion of this lies through Lakes Menzaleh, Ballah, Timsah, and the Bitter Lakes.

Its width is generally 325 feet at the surface, and 75 feet at the bottom, and its depth 26 feet. The workmen employed were chiefly natives, and many were drafted by the Khedive. The number of laborers is estimated at 30,000. The British government virtually controls the canal as it owns most of the stock.

It was widened and deepened in 1886, it has a minimum depth of 28 ft., and varies from 150 to 300 ft.
in width. Traffic is facilitated by electric light during the night, and the passage occupies little more than 24 hours; has been neutralised and exempted from blockade, vessels of all nations in peace or war being free to pass through; now the highway to India and the East, shortening the voyage to India by 7600 m.; three-fourths of the ships passing through are English; an annual toll is drawn of close on three million pounds, the net profit of which falls to be divided amongst the shareholders, of whom since 1875 the British Government has been one of the largest.