C1907 a surviving civilization (1/2)

When the Zhiyuan Warship was traveling at its lowest speed, they could feel how narrow the canal was. Indeed, it could only sail in one direction, because the average width of the Suez Canal was only 50 to 60 meters and the narrowest was only 30 meters. The two ships had to collide together.

Since its completion in 1869, the Suez Canal has undergone numerous dredging and expansion projects, and by the 21st century the average width of the canal was no more than 130 metres.

In the nineteenth century, human beings could not rely on mechanical forces, and the canal could only be dug by human means. With such a narrow canal, one could imagine the sheer volume of the project, which had cost the lives of 120,000 Egyptian civilians.

From afar, it looked like the entire river was filled with people. The left and right side of the river was very close to the shore, and people could see every rivet on the battleship clearly.

The sky was getting darker, the only color left on the western horizon was red, but the citizens watching from both sides of the river were still as enthusiastic as ever. When the gas lamps on the Zhiyuan Warship were ignited, the orange lights in the night painted the outline of a beautiful battleship, making the scene seem like a dream.

”The first historical event that changed this land has finally occurred. This is where humans will bleed …”

”What?” ”What are you talking about …” Wang Huaiyuan stood at the side and asked in confusion.

”I mean, here, the whole of Central Asia is about to be awakened from its unchanging lifestyle. It's a good thing for the world that the Suez Canal is connecting with Eurasia, but for Central and Eastern Asia, it's the beginning of a nightmare!”

Wang Huaiyuan did not understand, ”Do you mean that there will be a conflict of interest? ”Is there going to be a fight for control of this canal in the future?”

Xiao Letian smiled faintly but did not say anything. He was very clear that the modern concept of the Middle East was only gradually becoming hotspot because of the opening of the canal and the discovery of the oil resources.

Before the canal was opened, the Middle East belonged entirely to the Ottoman Empire. Right now, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Iran, the majority of the country had two rivers, including the Mediterranean Southern Bank, all of them belonging to the Ottoman Empire.

The remaining Arabian was basically still a loose alliance of tribes within the Middle Age. It did not have any international status at all.

In the eighteenth century, the influence of the Ottoman Empire had gradually declined. Through the sea trade and industrialization, Europe had become more and more powerful.

The Ottoman legion, which had once terrified all of Europe, was forced into a defensive phase. At the end of the nineteenth century, an empire which believed in Islam needed the help of the English and French in order to resist the invasion of the Northern Sand Country.

In the current Middle East, the aristocrats of the Islamic tribes were completely different from the rich and powerful people of the Middle East in the future. Their society was backward, their people were destitute, and their culture was cut off … The existence of the so-called state is maintained only by the adhesion of religious beliefs.

Xiao Letian pointed to the waterway and said desolately, ”Today, it is very important to report back to them. Right now, the indigenous people in the Middle East have gradually been colonized, and 120,000 workers have died in 11 years, but the civilians actually did not accumulate a large amount of hatred. Do you know why?”