Crooked Canal — Story of Mehemet Ali and Famous Engineer

Galway Observer, September 13, 1930

There is in Egypt a canal which was built in order to connect the waters of the Nile with the sea at Alexandria. Canals are winding, this is a very crooked and winding one. Inquiry developed the following explanation:

It was Mehemet Ali who directed the execution of the project, superintending the enormous gangs of "fellahs", who were the diggers. A famous French engineer, vexed and astonished beyond measure at the sinuous course of the artificial stream, sought the viceroy and expressed his feelings to him in decided although polite language.

"I beg leave to suggest, your Highness, that if your present plans are carried out, your canal will be as crooked as a ram's horn."

"I presume dear sir," responded the viceroy "that French rivers are all perfectly straight/"

"Not at all, your Highness. A river is a river anywhere, and I think those in France rather more crooked than any other."

"I presume then, that Allah did not make them," said the viceroy.

The engineer began to think that he was dealing with a madman. "Assuredly, your Highness, they were the work of the Creator, to whom you choose to apply the name of Allah."

"And whom do you suppose the best judge of the way water should run — the Creator or a French engineer?"

The visitor began to grow indignant, but concealed his irritation. "The works of the Creator are not to be called into question," he answered, in a dignified way.

"That is just what I think," responded Mehemt Ali, merrily. " Allah must surely know best; and if it is right for a river to be crooked, it must be wrong for a canal to be straight. My canal is going to be a crooked one."

So saying he turned away to give directions to some labourers, and the famous canal remains a crooked one to this day.