Life of Ahmad — Page 30
WORLD PREPARATIONS as 30 facilities which had never before been granted to any of his predecessors. His privileges were, therefore, unique. Not only was the geographical study of the world completed before his advent—but inventions were made by means of which the various parts of the world were brought more closely together than ever before. Means began to be devised for the carrying on of worldwide propaganda, and ways of communication began to be developed which abolished the old barriers of time and space Curiously enough, Prosper Enantin visited Egypt in 1833, in connection with a scheme for making a canal across the isthmus of Suez, which, like the canal across the isthmus of Panama, was part of the St. Simonist programme for the regeneration of the world. The Suez Canal was completed by 1865. This shortened considerably the arduous and long journey to the East round the Cape of Good Hope. The iron press was invented by the end of the 18th century, and the first really practical printing machine run with steam power was produced and put into use in 1814. As for conveyance and transport, the first practical steam carriage was constructed in 1802 and by 1824 a number of such vehicles were being used with considerable success. Daimler invented in 1885 the internal-combustion motor consuming petroleum spirit. The first steamship began to ply between