Scarcely any portion of its floor has a depth exceeding 3,000 fathoms, or about 3.4 miles. The greatest depth determined by the recent "Challenger" soundings, which was that of a limited depression about 100 miles to the north of St. Thomas, having been 3.875 fathoms, or about 4.4 miles.

HOW TO BECOME A GYMNAST.

LOMBARD. Ill., Jan. 17, 1880. I would like to know what food is best adapted to the muscles, and what sort of food is generally used by gymnasts and strength-seekers. HERBERT S. RAND.

Answer. The usual time allotted to training for athletic sports is six weeks, and the objects to be attained in the period may be described as: (1) Removal of superfluous fat and water; (2) increase of contractile power in the muscle; (3) increased endurance; (4) "wind," that is to say, a power of breathing and circulating the blood steadily, in spite of exertion. The first is aimed at by considerately adding to the daily amount of nitrogenous and by diminishing farinaceous and liquid food, and providing that it should be so consumed as to be fully digested. The second and third are secured by gradually increasing the demands made upon the muscles, till they have learned to exert at will all the powers of which they are capable, and for as long a period as the natural structure of the individual frame permits. "Wind" is improved by choosing as part of the training an exercise, such as running, which can be sustained only when the respiratory and circulating organs do their duty fairly. We would recommend the following boating training as a typical regimen for fully developing your corporeal powers to fulfil the demands of an extraordinary exertion, a standard which may be modified according to the circumstances for which your training is required:

ALEXIS, Ill., Jan, 14, 1880. What were the principal causes of the negro exodus? Will it be beneficial or injurious to the race? READER.

Answer-The whites of the South have so conducted themselves as to make the colored people disaffected. They desire to control those who were once slaves, and their inability to appreciate the changed condition of the colored people produced the alienation known as the exodus. The desperate, efforts of the whites to retain control have led them to ignore the political rights of the blacks, to prosecute them for opinion sake, and to dispute the right of the negro to emigrate. Recognizing eyery colored man as free a citizen as any resident of New England, the North stands ready to receive those who come. If the exodus continues, the South is ruined financially, and her political prestige is forever gone. Some of the far-seeing whites in the South already comprehend this, and are thoughtfully considering expedients for bringing about the natural ailiance of the black man with the leaders of that society of which he is a partsuggestions looking to a means of adjusting the relations between landlord and tenant, and to prosecute swindling merchants. But for these, and like important and interesting facts, we must refer the reader to valuable letters from time to time appearing in THE INTER OCEAN from our correspondent, "J. W. R.," who is now studying this question in Kansas.

GIRARD AND HIS COLLEGE.

EAPAC, Mich., Dec. 22, 1879. 1. Give a biographical sketch or the life of Stephen Girard, the founder of Girard College. 2. Where is Girard College situated? 3. How much money out of the $2,000,000 has been expended on the college, and for the benefit of its inmates? 4. How many orphans does it accommodate at present?

Answer.-Stephen Girard was born near Bordeaux, France, May 24, 1750; became a sailor, and before the Revolution engaged as the master of vessels in the American coasting and West India trade, and during the Revolution was a grocer, sutler, and liquor-seller in and near Philadelphia, where he had already married and separated from his wife. Through his industry he became one of the richest men in the United States. He was very eccentric in his habitungracious in hi

manner, ill-tempered, and lived and died without a friend; but he was always a liberal benefactor of the public charities, and even of churches, which he despised. Died in 1831. 2. The college is situated in Philadelphia, two miles northwest of the old State House, in a fine enclosure of forty-one acres. According to Mr. Girard's will no minister or ecclesiastic of any sect or church is allowed to visit the premises on any pretext, or to have any connection with the institution. 3. The greater part of the bequest would have been absorbed in the construction but for the delay in opening the establishment. 4. It now accommodates some 500 boys, who are supported and educated by the institution.

"FATHER"-THE CHRISTIAN ERA.

1. Why are Catholic priests universally called Father? 2. Why does the Christian era begin on the first day of January, and the birth of our Savior said to have occurred on the 25th of December? T. J. Answer.-1. As a mark of respect and veneration it is properly applied to a dignitary of the Roman Catholic Church, a superior of a convent. a confessor (called also father confessor), or a priest; also, to a dignitary or elder, clergyman'in the Protestant Church, as an archbishop, bishop, or pastor. 2. We have answered this before, but as we have now five letters on hand asking the same question, we will briefly state that the Christian era was once supposed to correspond with the date of the birth of Christ. But, according to some of the best authorities, Christ was born April 5, four years before the commencement of the Christian era. The error undoubtedly arose from the fact that the practice of reckoning time from the supposed birth of Christ appears not to have been introduced into the church until about the year 527 A. D., when a Syrian monk made use of it. It was not introduced into England until 680, and was not universally adopted by the Christian Church until about the middle of the fifteenth century.

THE FIRST CLOCKS.

1 In your paper last week, No. 6,669, the question is asked when and where the first Seth Thomas clocks were made? Answer is, about 1806, at Thomaston. But the first wooden wheel clock was made in 1792 by Eli Terry, then residing at Norwich, Conn. Being reared in Litchfield County, Conn., not far from Thomas's place of business, and frequently passing there in my adult years, I felt interested in the reply, and it occurred to me that there was some error-enough to convey a wrong idea. Having friends in that part of the State, I wrote them to learn if the answer, above given, was in accordance with facts. The answer seems to carry along with it an assumption that Seth Thomas was one of the "pioneers" in clock-making. I will, therefore, give a few names of those who were such in this country. Among them are Timothy Barnes, who made clocks in Litchfield, James Harrison in Waterbury, Gideon Roberts in Bristol, Burnap, of East Windsor, and Cheney, of Berlin. Several of the above-named were several years in advance of Eli Terry, others contemporary with him; Jacob Sargent, of Hartford, Conn., was among the earliest. Eli Terry learned the clock and watch trade of him, and in 1793 began, in a small way, to make clocks near his own house, in Plymouth Center. This statement comes direct from his descendants. Previous to 1797 the prevailing style of clock was long cord weights and pendu

lum. At this time Mr. Terry patented an improvement making short clocks to fasten to the wall. He afterward moved his business to a place between Plymouth and Waterbury, known as Hoadley's, or "Ireland," where he enlarged his business. Here, about 1807, Seth Thomas worked for him. About 1811 Thomas Clark, who also had worked for Terry, built a small factory in Plymouth Hollow, the first of the kind ever started in that place, and there made both brass and wooden clocks. In December, 1813, Thomas bought out Clark, and carried on the business there from that time on. It is well here to notice that the place was then known only as "Plymouth Hollow," situated in the valley, on the bank of the Naugatuck River, one mile west of Plymouth Center, which is on the top of a high ridge, a small village of ancient type. It was in this village where Eli Terry made his first clocks, instead of Norwich, as I have already stated above. Thomas made sure and rapid progress in his business, sending his clocks into the far West and South, and in his Southern trade he found it to his interest to take cotton in exchange for clocks. Therefore he built a cotton factory, working up the cotton into fabrics which he could sell to his workmen. From this he started a store of general assortment, making an arrangement with all his em-' ployes to do all their trading with him. There was no change made in the name of Thomas's Village until a postoffice was established there of the name "Thomaston" a few years only before it become incorporated in 1875. It will be seen by the above that the place was for some sixty years known only as P. Hollow, consequently there was where he made not his first, but, it might be said, all he ever did make. For he died Jan. 28, 1859, aged 72 years 6 months. These dates come direct from his own children-which at 1806 would make him 19 years old. Rather young for a poor boy without friends to help him to go into manufacturing alone. If the place was not incorporated till 1875, and he died in 1859, then he died in "Plymouth Hollow," and not in "Thomaston." - Beloit, Wis., January 14th, 1880.-R. P. Crane.

THE LARGEST DIAMONDS.

CHICAGO, Ill., Jan. 22, 1880. Which is the largest diamond in the world at the present time? Any facts about diamonds, outside of the encyclopedias, which give the Orloff as the largest, will be acceptable. This is to settle a discussion. W. B. SULLIVAN.

Answer.-Below will be found a list of some of the large diamonds: The Piggott, 8214 carats; the Cumberland; the Mattam, 367 carats; the Nassac, 894 carats; the Florentine Brilliant, 13912 carats; Dresden Green Brilliant; the Eugenie, 51 carats; Austrian yellow; the Shah, 86 carats; the Hope blue; the Polar Star; the Sancy, 5312 carats; the Koh-i-noor; the Koh-i-noor, 10212 carats; the Koh-i-noor; the Koh-i-noor, 186 carats; the Regent or Pite, 136 carats; the Regent; Star of the South, 2544 carats; Star of South, 125 carats; Drop shaped Brilliant, 7612 carats; the Orloff, 19412 carats. The Braganza forms part of the Portuguese crown jewels. It was found in 1741 in Brazil; it weighs 1,880 carats, but great doubt exists of its being a diamond, as the government has never allowed it to be tested. The Mattam-This belongs to the Rajah of Mattam, in Borneo. It is of pure water, weighs 367 carats, and is of a pear shape, indented at the thick end. It was ound about 1760 at Landak, in Borneo, and has

'been the cause of a sanguinary war. The Kohi-noor-This now forms one of the English crown jewels. We have knowledge of it dating back to 1526. When in possession of the Emperor Aurenzebe, it was reduced by unskillful cutting from 793 to 186 carats; captured by British troops during the Sikh mutiny, it was presented to Queen Victoria in 1850, and recut. It now weighs 106 1-16 carats. The Regent-This

stone forms part of the French crown jewels. Its weight is 1363. It was bought by the Duke of Orleans, then Regent of France, of Pite, the Governor of Fort St. George, for £135,000. When rough the stone weighed 410 carats, and the cutting cost £2,000. The EugenieThis is a perfect brilliant of 51 carats, of an oval shape, blunt at one end, very beautifully cut. It was purchased some years ago, by the Emperor Napoleon III. The Florentine Brilliant belongs to the Emperor of Austria. The Sancy is of almond shape, and weighs 532 carats. The stone was found on the body of the Duke of Burgundy. It finally came into possession of James II. of England, who sold it to Louis XIV for£25,000. The Nassak-This weighs 785gcarats, and before its recutting, by order of the Marquis of Westminster, it weighed 8934. It is of triangular form, with roundedfacets. Originally

was taken by the Marquis of Hastings at the conquest of the Deccan. The Piggott-Weight 8244 carats. Sold to the Pasha of Egypt for £30,000. The Hope-This, owned by the late Mr. Hope, is of & most brilliant sapphire-blue color, and is unique of its kind. It weighs 4412 carats, is of an oval form, and is a well cut and good proportioned stone. It is now the most important and beautiful blue diamond in existence. The "Star of the South;" this brilliant was found in 1853 at Bogagem, in the province of Minas-Geraes, by a negro. When rough it weighed 25412 carats; since cutting, only 125. Other large diamonds: one, in possession of Mr. Dresden, a London merchant, is drop-shaped, perfectly pure, free from defects and of extraordinary play and brilliancy, and of a quality superior to the Koh-noor; the weight is 76 12 carats. It was lately found in the Brazils.

1

A SKELETON IN EVERY HOUSE. CHARITON, Lucas County, Iowa, Jan. 3, 1880. We have often heard the expression, "There is a skeleton in every closet." Can you give the origin of the saying? OLD ADMIRER.

Answer.-We have been able to find only one explanation of the origin of this saying, which we offer: A young student of Naples, believing himself dying, and fearing the news of his death would break the heart of his widowed mother, who passionately loved him, after much reflection, adopted the following device: He wrote to his mother, telling her that he was ill, and that a soothsayer had foretold that he could not recover until he had worn a shirt made by a woman who had no trouble-in fact, was perfectly happy and contented. The widow, in her simplicity, thought that attaining such a garment was an easy task, but after inquiries among her friends found that each had a secret care. At last she heard, from several sources, of a lady surrounded by every comfort, and possessing a husband who seemed to think of nothing but making her happy. The old lady hastened to her, and made known her wish. The

THE ROYAL STANDARD.

CHICAGO, Ill., Jan. 22, 1880. Will you have the kindness to interpret the present royal standard of Great Britain? M. Answer. The present royal standard of England was hoisted on the Tower Jan. 1, 1801, and is thus described: "Quarterly-First and fourth, gules, three lions passant gardant, in pale, for England; second, a lion rampant, gules, within a double tressure, flory counter flory of the last, for Scotland; third, azure, a harp or stringed argent, for Ireland. On an escutcheon of pretense were charged the arms of the sovereign's German dominions, but after the accession of Queen Victoria these were removed."

ORIGIN OF "THE OLD OAKEN BUCKET.' CEDAR CREEK LANDING, Ill., Jan. 20, 1880. What were the circumstances that led to the composition of that beautiful piece of poetry entitled "The Old Oaken Bucket?" J. S. McRAVEN,

Answer. Samuel Woodworth was the author of "The Old Oaken Bucket." A printer by trade, who served his apprenticeship at Boston, in the office of Major Russell, the publisher of the Centinel. The beautiful and popular ballad had its origin under the following circumstances: He was employed in an office on the corner of Chestnut and Chambers streets, in New York. One day with a group of typos he dropped into Mallory's, on Franklin street, for the purpose of taking "some brandy and water," for which the place was noted. The liquor was excellent, and Woodworth seemed inspired by it, for, after taking a draught, he set his glass upon the table, and, smacking his lips, declared that Mallory's eau de vie was superior to anything he had ever tasted. "No," said a comrade, "you quite mistake; there was one thing which in both our estimations far surpassed this in the way of drink." "What was that?" asked Woodworth, dubiously. "The draught of pure, cold water that we used to drink from the old oaken bucket which hung in the well, after our return froin the labors of the field on a sultry day in summer." The teardrop glistened for a moment in Woodworth's eye. "True, true," he replied, and soon after quitted the place. He returned to the office, grasped his pen, and in half an hour "The Old Oaken Bucket," one of the most delightful compositions in our language, was ready in manuscript to be embalmed in the memories of succeeding generations.

ing on two sticks as violin and bow with so much expression that at 5 years of age a schoolmasters named Frank, took him to Hamburg to be educated. It was not, however, until he had reached the age of 28 that he was appreciated, when he became chapelmaster of Prince Esterhazy at a salary of 400 and afterward 1,000 florins a year. Haydn was small and slight in stature, and of so dark a complexion, that he was nicknamed "the Moor." Haydn is the father of symphony and stringed quartet. He did more to develop instrumental music than any hundred of his predecessors. The leading qualities of his compositions are perfect lucidity of ideas, perfect symmetry in their development and treatment, and the perfect finish of every phrase and part. His works number about 800. His most esteemed compositions are the twelve grand symphonies written for London, the fifty last quartets for stringed instruments, and the oratorios, "The Seasons" and "The Creation."

Answer.-After a word becomes thorougly implanted in the language the plural is formed in accordance with its rules. Thus the first word in the above list, fiasco, takes the form of "fias cos," and not "fiaschi." Most of the musical and architectural terms have become so common that the best English authorities employ the English form of plural instead of the Italian. But yet it has been said, on as good authority as the Boston Transcript, that one who is well versed in the language and in the science upon which he is talking could with propriety, and without risk of being charged with affectation, use the Italian form. Thus, sopranos, bassos, altos, contraltos, crescendos, staccatos, solos, relievos, and prima donnas are preferable to the forms they would take in their own language. The exceptions in the list are foci, dillettanti, soldi, amatori. Genius, when it refers to a quality of the mind, is "geniuses"-otherwise, "genii." The plural of ignoramus is ignoramuses, and of the other words innuendoes, chefs d'oeuvre, bons mots, betes noires, bons vivants. It will readily be seen that the preservation of the plural forms of words from all the foreign languages would make our own more irregular and difficult, and give it a mongrel character, which every pattriotic philogist and grammarian should fight against.

CORAL AND IRIDIUM.

LOMBARD, DuPage Co., Ill., Jan. 6, 1880. 1. How are coral reefs formed? I have not been able to ascertain whether they were formed by the bones of insects or made by them, and what is the greatest height they have reached? 2. What is iridium, and where found? Is it not the heaviest substance known? H. S. R.

Answer.-1. Coral is a hard, stony, or calcaeous substance, chiefly of marine origin, consisting of the aggregate skeletons of various polyps and of certain tabulate acalephs, all belonging to the Cuvierian sub-kingdom of radiatæ. Coral reefs are the work of these minute marine animals called polyps, which live in countless numbers in the tropical seas. Their structure is of the simplest kind. It is a cylin

drical skin with an inside sac, the stomach, and a central opening, surrounded by thread-like appendages on the top, which is the mouth, the lower end being attached to the ground. When expauded the animal resembles a flower in form and beauty of color. Between the two skins the coral substance, which is limestone, is secreted, as are the bones in the higher animals. 2. Iridium is one of the rare metals of the platinum group. It has not been found in its pure state, and is usually combined with osminum or with platinum. It was first recognized as a distinct element in 1804. It is one of the heaviest of metals. In its powdered state it is the best material for giving a pure black upon porcelainand is largely used for this purpose.

THE AUDIPHONE.

DELAWARE, Ill., Dec. 30, 1879. Being a reader of your paper, I wish to ask you a few questions. Please tell all you can about the audiphone, its construction, its cost, and the practical benefit derived from the use of it. BELLE CAMPBELL.

Answer-The audiphone consists of a small electro-microphone, a simple instrument for increasing the volume of sound, to he center of the diaphragm of which is attaeh d a cord, which may be of any length, and to he other end of which cord is attached a small piece of wood. The manner of working the instrument is ve simple, and can be briefly described as follows: The deaf person takes a firm hold of the piece of wood, between his upper and lower teeth, and the party desiring to converse with the deaf talks through the electro-microphone attachment at the other end of the cord, holding the cord taut. The theory advanced is, that the sound is conveyed through the nerves of the teeth and the bones of the face to the auditory nerve, which, owing to some defection of the ear caused by disease, is not approachable through the usual channel, thence to the brain. The instrument will only work, however, when deafness has been caused by disease, In case of paralysis of the auditory nerve it is useless. In THE INTER OCEAN of Nov. 29, our New York correspondent, "Cress," gave ar account of some very interesting tests of the audiphone on the deaf and dumb in New York. For further particulars see that letter.

HOW TO ASSAY SILVER. TOPEKA, Kan., Jan. 5, 1830. Will you state through your "Curiosity Shop" the process of assaying silver ore? À READER. Answer.-The process of assaying gold and silver depends on the principle that those metals cannot be converted into oxides by union with the oxygen of the air, while the baser metals with which they are alloyed can be oxidized if raised to a high temperature. The apparatus employed in the process consists of a cupel, a small, shallow vessel made of bone-ash, and a muffle. The latter is made of fire-clay, is about eight inches long, three or four inches in diameter, and is shaped like a railway tunnel (that is, having a flat bottom, and an arched top); it is open at one end and closed at the other, and has several apertures in its sides for air to pass through. Weighed fragments of the ore, or impure silver, are placed in the cupels, which, introduced into a muffle, are exposed to the heat of a furnace until the metals are melted. The oxygen of the air unites with the lead, forming an oxide, which is partly volatilized and partly absorbed by the porous cupel. At the end of this

process of cupellation there remains a globule of pure silver, which, by its diminished weight, shows how much alloy was contained in the sample.

6,885-A "CURVED BALL.

159 SOUTH WOOD ST., CHICAGO, Jan. 22, 1880. As Newton's first law of motion is "Every body continues in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled to change that state by an external force." I cannot see upon what principle a "curved ball" can be pitched. Can you enlighten me? D. C. Answer.-We have often watched skillful pitchers, but never have seen the action spoken of, and, like "D. C.," would require something more than mere assertion to make us believe it.

STATES' RIGHTS.

ROCHELLE, Ill., Jan. 14, 1880. In a noisy political debate here, a Bourbon Greenbacker makes the assertion that States' rights is "a dead issue." Is it not a fact that this doctrine is openly advocated by some of the Democratic States. Name them, giving information on this question that is convenient. S. REYNOLDS.

Answer.-It is not "a dead issue," because exGovernor Palmer, of Illinois, the Governors of nearly all of the Southern States, many of the Congressmen, Senator Thurman, of Ohio, and other leading Democrats have within the last year appeared as advocates of the doctrine. Further discussion of this question in all its varied phases will be found from time to time in the editorial columns of THE INTER OCEAN.

TEN PERTINENT QUESTIONS ANSWERED. CAMBRIDGE, Ill., Jan. 21, 1880. Believing The INTER OCEAN to be a fair paper, I take the liberty to ask you a few questions which have been called out by your remarks on the Weaver bill: 1. Have not all the promises made by the government to the bondholders been fulfilled? 2. Have any of the promises made by the government and the people to the soldiers been fulfilled? 3. Who risked the most for the government, the soldier or the bondholder? 4. Should not the promises made to the soldiers be as sacredly fulfilled as should the promises made to the money-lender? 5. Is it not true that the soldiers were promised $13 per month, gold standard, and that they did not receive more than half of that amount in value? 6. Could any private soldier, by sending home every cent of his depreciated currency, support a family or lay by enough to start in business if he was fortunate enough to survive the war? 7. Did not those who stayed at home increase their wealth tenfold in consequence of the war? 8. Is it not a fact that soldiers who had property were taxed to raise money for the purpose of hiring substitutes for those who stayed at home and made money during the war? 9. Can you mention any other nation that has taxed its defenders for the benefit of those who stayed at home, or that placed a higher value upon its promises to the man of money than it did on the promises made to the man who risked his life for that nation? 10. Is there anything unfair in the soldiers asking at this late day that the government they fought for shall put them on an equality with the bond-holder? VETERAN.

Answer.-1. We think they have; the bondholders think the reverse. 2. Yes. 3. There is no analogy-the risk and the gain were totally different. 4. Yes. 5. No. 6. It was done in thousands of instances. 7. The thrifty thrived then as now. 8. No more than other citizens with property. 9. No nation in the world ever treated its defenders as liberally as the United States has done; and no nation in the world has placed such a high value on its defenders' services. This cau be proved. 10. No.

auxiliary reporters in each county. The auxiliaries making reports to the principal, based on their observation in their respective localities, the principal makes his estimate, then strikes an average of the whole, and this goes up to headquarters as the proper report of the respective counties. So it will be seen that instead of "guess work," the reports of crop statistics are based on the observation and judgment of the respective boards of reporters. I speak from the standpoint of experience.-M. J. Burr, Charitan, Lucas County, Iowa.

THE FIRST PATENT.

In answer to S. Cunningham, No. 6,665, I would say, according to the Scientific American, the first patent on record was granted to Samuel Hopkins, July 31 1790, for making pot and pearl ashes; the second to James Stacy Sampson, Aug. 6, 1790, for making candles; the third and last for the year 1790, was to Oliver Erane, for making flour and meal; this bears date Dec. 18. 1790.-Old Maid.

ADELAIDE NEILLSON.

OSHKOSH, Wis., Jan. 2, 1880. 1, Was Christine Nilsson in Chicago in October, 1879? 2. Does she act in the theater in addition to her singing? MARY E. GRAVES. Answer.-1. No; but Miss Adelaide Neilson, the distinguished actress, filled an engagement of two weeks at McVicker's about that time. 2. No.

EXEMPTING MANUFACTURES FROM TAXATION. WIOTA, Iowa, Jan. 19, 1880. At the last regular session of the Board of Supervisors of Cass County, Iowa, a resolution remitting the county tax for the years 1881-82 and '83 was passed on all actual capital invested in manufacturing in the county in any one enterprise not less than $1,500. I sent a communication to one of our county papers requesting some one of the honorable board to show the law that gave them the authority to remit the tax. The editor did not publish it. Please give your opinion in the "Curiosily Shop" columns of your paper, then the thousands of readers of your paper in Cass County can see that a fair and square question regarding a point of law could not be heard through one of their own county papers. Inclosed find the original resolution. CHARLES WHITMORE.

Answer.-We are not familiar with the local law of Iowa on this subject, but we presume the Supervisors acted within their authority. If the manufactories largely increase the population, working capital, etc., of the county, the remission of the taxes for a few years may prove an advantage much more important than their collection.

AN ANCIENT SHIP CANAL.

SENECA, Wis., Jan. 20, 1880. It is claimed here that the Suez Canal before built showed signs of having been operated 3,000 years ago. Please let us know what proof, if any, there is of it. N. F. MAYNARD.

Answer.-We believe that a water communication for small vessels between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea was formed as early as 600 years. before the Christian era, and existed for a period of about 1,400 years, after which it was allowed to fall into disuse. Baron De Tott in his "Memoirs of the Turks and Tartars," written in 1785, after giving quotations from the historian Diodorus as to the existence of certain portions of the early work, and its having been abandoned in consequence of the supposed difference of level between the two seas, and threatened innundation of Egypt,' says there still exist those traces of work. The idea of restoring this ancient communication on a scale suited to modern times is understood to be due to Napoleon I., and the outcome of his idea was the Suez Canal-or, more correctly speaking, artificial strait or arm of the sea, con