During this conversation Wolfe explained to Habashi Pasha that he and Johnson were concerned only with the engineering features of the various routes and that the political factors would have to be evaluated by others. He said that it was impossible to avoid being Influenced personally by the friendly attitude of the Egyptian officials, but that it was only fair to say that the route proposed by the Egyptians (that is, Route C) was much longer than Route A to Lebanon or Palestine and that a pipe line along it would quite obviously cost more in proportion.

EVALUATION OF ROUTES 1, 2, 3, & 4.

Before Chandler's departure from the United States it had been agreed that the four possible by-pass lines for the Suez Canal would be numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4 from West to East, as they are numbered on Map No. 1 attached, for telegraphic reference. One of the specific responsibilities with which Chandler as well as Wolfe and Johnson was charged was a report on the relative cost of these routes in comparison to the costs that had been estimated in San Francisco in April. It was necessary to dispatch a telegram to the United States covering this matter in a preliminary way before the exploration of any of the routes on the ground (See Appendix II) No basis for any alteration in the previously estimated cost of Routes I and 2 from Suez to Alexandria or Fuad, respectively, was evident since both are along established highways and cross no major natural obstacle. The expense of Route 3 into Aqaba was deemed considerably greater than that estimated, not only because of the pipe line construction up the steep cliffs but also because of the expense of developing a suitable port at Aqaba and of working many miles away from any established supporting base. The all-Palestine Route No. 4 was deemed to be all but unfeasible.

On Thursday the 23rd, Wolfe, Chandler, and Bramkamp departed for Alexandria to survey the Alexandria route and port on the ground and Johnson departed for New York at 4:00 A.M. on the 24th (Cairo Time). The findings of Wolfe and Chandler with regard to the Arabian routes and the latter reconnaissance work with Chandler are reported elsewhere and do not lie within the scope of this report; however, up until the middle of July when this report was assembled, no Information had been received seriously at variance with that given here.