THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 265 



" I ain of opinion that the wisest plan will be to 

 let the Suez Canal Scheme retain its private character 

 and not allow it to be dependent upon the will of a 

 government which might not be favourable to the 

 project. 



" Should I be called upon to reply to any objections 

 or proposals which should be made, may I say that 

 the Imperial Government would be disposed, concur- 

 rently with England, to declare without further delay 

 that at no period should the commercial navigation be 

 interfered with by a belligerent Power ? 



" In order not to ruffle foreign susceptibilities, it is 

 essential to point out, whenever the opportunity 

 arises, that the concession of the Suez Canal has not 

 been granted to a Frenchman, or to a French com- 

 pany. M. de Lesseps, as a friend of the Viceroy, has 

 received exclusive powers from him to form a Universal 

 Company, to which only the concession will be 

 granted." 



Note for the Emperor. 



"PARIS, June 9, 1855. 



" In the audience which your Majesty was pleased 

 to accord me you advised me to proceed at once to 

 London, and to get into communication with The 

 Times. 



" I have the honour to inform your Majesty that I 

 am ready to start, and that Mr. O'Meagher, the 

 correspondent of The Times in Paris, with whom I 



