THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 247 



" It would appear, therefore, that the English 

 Government, as we imagined, is not at all inclined to 

 compromise itself if the Sultan gives his sanction to 

 the scheme. 



" It seems to me, in consequence, expedient that 

 the firman containing my powers for constituting a 

 Universal Company, which has up till now, at my 

 desire, remained in your Highnesses possession, should 

 be handed over to me. 



" Your Highness is aware that the firman relating 

 to the railway which England had asked for, under 

 Abbas Pasha, had been granted in Egypt, without 

 any previous authorization being demanded from Con- 

 stantinople. England then maintained that such an 

 authorization was not necessary. Upon the present 

 occasion, you have deemed it well to act more 

 guardedly, and you have done right; but prudence 

 has its limits. Your Highness is convinced, moreover, 

 that I shall not compromise you in any way, and that 

 I shall make only a discreet use of the powers granted 

 me. You have been pleased to recognise the fact that 

 my mission to Constantinople had placed the question 

 in a proper light, and had produced a good effect. 

 "We must now lose no further time. France, Austria, 

 and the other Powers, support your Highness's 

 scheme. England cannot oppose it outright ; all she 

 can do is to endeavour to gain time. It would be 

 dangerous to let her do this. I repeat, then, that the 

 situation is excellent to enable us to do what we were 



