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Ferdinand Marie De Lesseps



De Lesseps, Ferdinand Marie (1805–94), French engineer and diplomat, builder of the Suez Canal. He first conceived of the project while serving as a diplomat in Egypt. He supervised its construction (1859–69) and later headed a French company formed to construct the Panama Canal. When this failed through lack of capital (1888), he was ruined mentally and financially.



See also: Suez Canal.

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