THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 281 



what would be beneficial to other nations would not 

 be equally so to England. 



" In fine, I have acquired the conviction that the 

 enterprise of the Suez Canal, far from troubling in the 

 smallest degree the relations of France and England, 

 will contribute, upon the contrary, after the exchange 

 of frank and open explanations, to bring out in a very 

 clear light the sincerity of the alliance between the 

 two countries. 



" The favour with which the question was received 

 by public opinion, the publications which are being 

 prepared, the influence of the interests of trade and 

 navigation, and the desire to give a mark of confidence 

 in your Majesty, cannot fail to bring over those mem- 

 bers of the English Cabinet whose opposition might, 

 a short time ago, have justified the idea of an energetic 

 resistance on their part, which there seems no longer 

 any reason to apprehend." 



THE QUESTION OF THE ISTHMUS OF SUEZ SUBMITTED 

 TO ENGLISH PUBLIC OPINION. 



"LONDON, July, 1855. 

 "Aperire terram gentibus. 



" In October, 1854, I left Europe for Egypt, upon 

 the invitation of the Viceroy, Mohammed Said, with 

 whose friendship I had been honoured for twenty years. 

 I had no mission from my Government, and it was in 

 the course of a journey with the Prince, from Alex- 

 andria to Cairo, across the Libyan Desert, that the 



