2 4 o RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



sion is caused by the fact of Lord Stratford de Eed- 

 cliffe having applied for instructions from London, 

 I have just been informed that upon the proposal 

 of Eeschid Pasha the Divan has reverted to its original 

 resolve of asking for some further explanations from 

 the Viceroy. The Austrian packet on board which 

 I am about to embark is doubtless conveying a second 

 letter from the Grand Yizier to the Viceroy. My 

 letters from Stamboul tell me that the British Ambas- 

 sador has been endeavouring to alarm the Porte by 

 dwelling upon the importance which this canal would 

 give to Egypt and to the Viceroy, to the ideas of 

 independence which it would foster, and to the 

 danger of ships of war passing through. All this is 

 very dastardly, and seems to show, among other 

 things, that England, more than any other Power, is 

 anxious to keep Turkey weak, in order to maintain 

 the idea that she alone is capable of protecting 

 her." 



To the same. 



" SAIDIE (ON THE NILE), March 18, 1855. 

 " A second letter dictated by Eeschid Pasha to 

 Kiamil Pasha, which the Viceroy only got yesterday, 

 repeats in an aggravated form the original objections. 

 This step, which is in contradiction with what the 

 Grand Vizier told me, and with the message of which 

 I was the bearer, is evidently the result of a plan 

 arranged by him and Lord Stratford. It has made 



