Suez-Malta-Gibraltar

[Music] coming north from the Red Sea our vessel enters the Suez Canal and we get our first view of one of the world's most famous waterways stretching ahead of us like a broad well-paved Highway for over 100 miles through the Burning Sands of the Arabian Desert it connects the East with the west and shorting the sea distance from England to India by over 5000 miles has rightfully been called the lifeline of the British Empire the construction was undertaken in 1859 by the French engineer Ferdinand de lesseps and finished 10 years later at a cost of about 19 million pounds in the beginning England did not approve of the canal and little if any English Capital was invested in its construction however today nearly one half of the shares are owned by the British government this control is due entirely to the far-sighted policy of Disraeli Britain Great prime minister during Queen Victoria's reign who in 1875 purchased for the crown the shares held by the financially embarrassed khadib of Egypt and thus for the comparatively small sum of four million pounds England secured control of the important Waterway connecting her far-flung Empire vessels must not proceed faster than six miles an hour as the wash would injure the Sandy Banks but despite this slow pace constant dredging is necessary to maintain the minimum depth of 34 feet signal stations are kept by the company at necessary locations along the treeless Banks the houses are whitewashed to reflect the fiercely heart rays of the Desert Sun the importance of this Waterway is realized when we recall that during each of the last two years more than 31 million net tons of shipping pass through it with about 60 percent of this turn into destined for the British Empire the revenues for these two years approximated 100 million gold dollars or the original cost of the canal thus making it one of the most profitable Investments of all time where British troops repels Turkish attacks against the canal in 1915 and imposing Monument has been erected in memory of those who fell in its successful defense the 164-foot obelisks stand as silent tributes to those who died that the Empire might live the slow pace of the Steamers makes it possible for passengers leisurely to enjoy the scenery but by animating the camera we see how our Passage would look at a greater speed trees frequently seen along the bank grow beside the small Canal that was built to carry fresh water from the Nile to the desert where thousands of workmen were engaged in the construction of the famous Waterway a British control Railway also parallels the ship route and connects Suez with Fort Saeed and Cairo in the background can be seen Lake manzala covering an area of 660 square miles after a pleasant 15-hour passage Port Saeed the northern Terminus of the canal is reached the most conspicuous building with blue-green domes Rising above a white facade houses the General Offices of the Suez Canal company a city of 105 000 inhabitants owes its name to the khadib Saeed and its origin and livelihood to the great Canal that it serves here many giant Merchant ships and male liners are seen either waiting to Transit the canal or having passed through it discharging cargos or disembarking passengers along the Waterfront Are the officers of the port Administration the custom house principal steamship lines and Banks and Commercial houses the small white building is out of the American consulate as there are docking facilities All Ships on board to boys and floating gangplanks are towed alongside the larger vessels to allow passengers to walk comfortably ashore when a large passenger ship arrives it is instantly surrounded by as many Hawkers as have small boats these Peddlers display their multitudinous Wares as genuine Egyptian but almost 99 of the merchandise manufactured in foreign countries were shipped here to be sold to gullible tourists rising from the Breakwater at the Mediterranean entrance to the canal that he built is the statue of Ferdinando leteps pointing the way to the east about midway between the Suez and the streets of Gibraltar is is the island of mortar Valletta the capital and seated the command-in-chief of the British Mediterranean forces is situated high upon the rocky Peninsula separating the great natural Harbors we pay a brief visit to the city which became the stronghold of the Knights of Saint John after they were banished from roads by the Turks the massive walls and deep moats would surround the city were built by Jean de la valet Grand Master of the defendants of Christianity who had taken the name the Knight of mortar civil entrance from the plateau is the Royal Gate from which the strata real the Main Street and chief business third Affair leads through the center of the city to Port St Elmo the customs and dress of the Maltese have changed considerably since the coming of the English and they found better The Peculiar black headdress and Cape worn by many of the women is the sole remaining relic of the Old National costumes [Music] from The Gardens on the Bastion a splendid view is had of Grand Harbor and Fort San Angelo we are reminded that Malta is headquarters for Great Britain's Mediterranean Fleet massimochetto Harbor is the second of the two natural roadstands although practically all other Customs have changed the house to house method of milk delivery has remained the same and the supply is guaranteed to be fresh most of the streets of Aletta are narrow and Steep and the houses are generally high this housewife laws a small container in a basket on a stream and saves herself a trip to the street [Music] foreign Island which since the Treaty of Paris in 1814 has been in the possession of England and which is today one of the two great fortresses watching over her Canal route to the east but three days by steamer from Malta at the entrance to the Atlantic from his Britain's other guardian of the Mediterranean the impregnable Gibraltar the solid mass of limestone Rising straight out of the sea to a sharp edge over 1200 feet high for over 200 years has symbolized and been the pride of Britain's might its rugged strength has been likened to the unchanging bulwarks of England's widely scattered Empire this the most famous rock in the world about two and a half miles long is situated at the Eastern end of The Straits of Gibraltar only 17 miles distant from the African Coast the more familiar side faces North toward the low flat neutral ground which separates it from Spain The Garrison town is located on the western side but since the space is limited the streets are narrow and many of them steep the number of civilians is small and the majority earn a living by catering to the armed forces and tourists visitors must have a permit to remain in the town overnight and civilian activities are under the direct supervision and control of a ranking military officer who is appointed as governor and since the rock is under military control the upper part is barred to all visitors except by special permission as in that area are located the many concealed long-range guns in air carefully guided emplacements this Mighty Rock stands as silent but fearsome guardian over the only entrance to the Mediterranean from the Atlantic and protects all ship Lanes from the West to the Suez Canal and the East we enter the Garrison Town through the inner waterport gate on the site of the old Moorish wall Queen horse drawn carriages are lined up ready to take us on a tour of the town the main business star Affair waterport Street is lined with shops for its entire length shops containing articles from all parts of the world and it is clean things can be purchased cheaper here than in any other country but of course one must bargain and generally Ends by paying more for the article than he would have cost at home there are many reputable British firms but most of the curio business is conducted by Spaniards North Africans and others from the beginning of May to the middle of October Gibraltar has practically no rain the winter rainfalled are stored in large reservoirs cut into Solid Rock since the quantity is limited only military and Naval quarters are supplied with running water all other consumers secure it by hand at a place of once in a cake at the tap [Applause] foreign [Music] ERS and Gibraltar is the only place in Europe where they breed and are found Wild we often see Soldiers and Sailors parading through the streets as the permanent Armed Forces which even in peace time consist of complete defense units are always kept in a high state of efficiency [Music] modern air squadrons assist the military and Naval detachments in making this famous rock with its natural defenses practically impregnable and perhaps the mightiest Fortress the world has ever known foreign [Music]