The Suez Canal

What is the Suez Canal?

The Suez Canal is a man-made waterway.

When did Britain take over the Suez Canal?

Britain gained control over the Suez Canal in 1875.

Where is the Suez Canal?

It connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea. It is in Egypt.

Why did Britain take control of the Suez Canal?

There were three main reasons why the British were interested in the Suez Canal.

• ❖ The route was vital for Britain's trade with India.
• ❖ It reduced the journey time to India and the Far East by months, as ships no longer had to travel around the whole of Africa.
• ❖ In the event of another rebellion in India, or other colonies in the area, troops could be sent to these areas more quickly.

How did Britain take control of the Suez Canal?

There were four major actions which led to the British occupation of the Suez Canal.

• ❖ When the Khedive of Egypt got into financial difficulty, he offered Britain the chance to buy shares in the Suez Canal.
• ❖ Disraeli borrowed £4 million from Lionel de Rothschild to buy the controlling shares in the Suez Canal.
• ❖ Following another rebellion in Egypt, in which a number of British people were killed, 24,000 soldiers from Britain and 7,000 soldiers from British India were sent to Egypt.
• ❖ They began taking control of the major towns and cities including Cairo. By 1882, Britain had gained full control of Egypt.

What was the significance of the Suez Canal?

These are some of the reasons why the Suez Canal was significant.

• ❖ It had a great economic benefit to Britain, as trade with India and the Far East was now quicker and cheaper.
• ❖ It allowed Britain to defend its empire more easily, as troops could be sent to Asia more quickly.
• ❖ Although Egypt was never formally part of the British Empire, the British did gain control over the country, increasing its power and influence.
• ❖ Eventually, Britain's interest in Egypt was challenged by the Suez Crisis in 1956, which was humiliating for Britain.