THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 279 



is the real cause of the mistrust with which so many 

 English politicians regard the future. I assure them 

 that they are mistaken, that the alliance of the two 

 countries is quite as much a national alliance in 

 France as it is in England, that the ancient party 

 feelings have ceased to find any echo, and that the 

 hesitations or doubts produced in English policy 

 through the mistrust of the future can only serve to 

 give arms to the adversaries of the alliance, and 

 eventually, perhaps, to deprive it of its national 

 character." 



To His Majesty the Emperor, Paris. 



11 LONDON, July 4, 1855. 



"The interest which your Majesty has deigned to 

 take in the great enterprise for opening the Isthmus 

 of Suez, has emboldened me to lay before you the 

 result of my preliminary steps in London. 



" The Queen's Ministers have shown a disposition 

 to examine the question carefully. They have made 

 a point of declaring that thoir objections were raised 

 in good faith, and without any feelings of mistrust 

 towards your Majesty's Government. The editors of 

 the Times and other newspapers have assured me that 

 they were well disposed. I have met with sympathy, 

 promises of support, and even active assistance, from 

 a great many men of influence in politics, science, 

 industry, and commerce. Among them I may men- 

 tion Lord Holland, that old and tried friend of France ; 



