The Suez Canal opened in 1869 and Phileas Fogg travelled through it, just three years later, in 1872. Roger Butler tells us about this engineering miracle which was the brainchild of Frenchman Ferdinand de Lesseps. Thousands of workers toiled in the desert to link the Mediterranean with the Red Sea and the grand opening ceremony was attended by guests from across the world. The story is told through early photographs and paintings as well as contemporary images and landmarks - and there’s a surprising story about the Statue of Liberty.