Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

THE SUEZ CANAL. 247 means or an The Balayeur. channel, and thus saving all the labour of filling the spoil into boxes and removing it to the bank by elevator. The action of the couloir was sometimes aided by a balayeur—that is, an end- less chain passing through, the bearing with it a number of iron scrapers for removing accumulations of slime and mud. Some idea of the enormous size of these machines may be gained when it is stated that the largest of them were seventy-five yards long ; if placed on end, one of them would have towered nearly eight yards above the London Monument. To facilitate the rapid removal of the excavated dirt, sand, and mud, tracks were laid on either side of the route. The dirt was either dumped down into the open trucks, or shovelled into them by the labourers and carted away. Horses, mules, camels, and small steam engines were used to transport the trucks into the open country. The quantity of material removed by these gigantic excavators was 2,763,000 cubic yards a month. In all, 80,000,000 cubic yards of sand, earth, and rock were excavated before the Canal was completed. The last barrier was pierced on August 15, 1869, almost exactly ten years from the date P. AND O. BOAT PASSING THROUGH THE CANAL. Notice the fresh-water canal alongside, and the shrubs planted to check the sand.