264 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



himself opened the subject of the Suez Canal, and 

 told me that he had not received a line from his 

 Government, which had not even acknowledged re- 

 ceipt of the documents I had submitted to him. He 

 expressed a hope that my approaching visit to Paris 

 and London would contribute to bring about an un- 

 derstanding, if necessary, between the two Govern- 

 ments, especially since the Viceroy had determined to 

 carry the railway as far as Suez, as this step, very 

 favourably received by public opinion in England, 

 removed, he thought, all pretext for opposing the 

 scheme of a canal. Our conversation took place in 

 presence of Lord Haddo, the Earl of Aberdeen's eldest 

 son. I am much afraid that if Mr. Bruce is sincere 

 in what he says he will not long be the representa- 

 tive of the English cabinet in Egypt. 



" I shall find in M. Walewski, our new Minister 

 of Foreign Affairs, a very cordial partisan of the 

 Suez Canal, for in a recent letter from London he 

 promised me his heartiest support for an enterprise of 

 which he had himself spoken to Mehemet Ali when 

 in Egypt fifteen years ago." 



Note addressed to Count Walewski, Minister of 

 Foreign Affairs. 



" PARIS, June 7, 1855. 



" I beg of Count "Walewski to be pleased to ask the 

 Emperor for instructions as to my journey to London, 

 whither I am ready to start at once. 



