DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.1035#0636
BY STEAM WITH INDIA. 589
soil is more firm, and consequently better for heavy-laden
camels, than that between Sooez and the metropolis, and
water is also more abundant on that road.
The voyage from Kossayr to Sooez by the Red Sea
employs by steam about two days, and rowing boats from
Coptos to Boolaq by the Nile take eight days; so that the
additional time occupied by this route (besides the small
surplus on the road from Kossayr to Coptos) would be
an objection, generally speaking, as to time. But this
might easily be obviated by the use of a steam-boat on
the Nile, which would go direct from Coptos by the river
to Rasheed, and the goods might be shipped on board
the Mediterranean steamer without any further delay, or
change of boats. The rapidity with which a steam-boat
would descend the Nile from Coptos to Boolaq would
reduce the time of eight days, before mentioned, to less
than half, and thus the journey from Coptos to that place
would occupy only a day or two more than from Kossayr
to Sooez by sea.
But it may be objected that this method would entail the
additional expense of a steam-boat on the river. I ask,
then, how is the distance from Boolaq to Rasheed to be per-
formed ? Are goods to be taken in native boats; and are
they thus to descend at the rate of the stream to the mouth
of the Nile ? If so, the advantages of steam will be mate-
rially diminished by the great sacrifice of time consequent
upon this mode of conveyance ; and I venture to affirm that
a steam-boat would perform the journey from Coptos to
Rasheed in nearly the same time * that a native boat of
burden would take from Boolaq to the sea.-)- In either case,
* About fy days.
f On their return from Rasheed these boats frequently take ten
days to arrive at Boolaq, or about half the time employed by the
steamer in coming from Bombay to Egypt.
soil is more firm, and consequently better for heavy-laden
camels, than that between Sooez and the metropolis, and
water is also more abundant on that road.
The voyage from Kossayr to Sooez by the Red Sea
employs by steam about two days, and rowing boats from
Coptos to Boolaq by the Nile take eight days; so that the
additional time occupied by this route (besides the small
surplus on the road from Kossayr to Coptos) would be
an objection, generally speaking, as to time. But this
might easily be obviated by the use of a steam-boat on
the Nile, which would go direct from Coptos by the river
to Rasheed, and the goods might be shipped on board
the Mediterranean steamer without any further delay, or
change of boats. The rapidity with which a steam-boat
would descend the Nile from Coptos to Boolaq would
reduce the time of eight days, before mentioned, to less
than half, and thus the journey from Coptos to that place
would occupy only a day or two more than from Kossayr
to Sooez by sea.
But it may be objected that this method would entail the
additional expense of a steam-boat on the river. I ask,
then, how is the distance from Boolaq to Rasheed to be per-
formed ? Are goods to be taken in native boats; and are
they thus to descend at the rate of the stream to the mouth
of the Nile ? If so, the advantages of steam will be mate-
rially diminished by the great sacrifice of time consequent
upon this mode of conveyance ; and I venture to affirm that
a steam-boat would perform the journey from Coptos to
Rasheed in nearly the same time * that a native boat of
burden would take from Boolaq to the sea.-)- In either case,
* About fy days.
f On their return from Rasheed these boats frequently take ten
days to arrive at Boolaq, or about half the time employed by the
steamer in coming from Bombay to Egypt.