296 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



Pasha said, then moved away and called upon Lord 

 Clarendon, and asked him what he thought of the 

 Suez Canal, relating to him what Aali Pasha had just 

 said, and what he had said in reply. Lord Clarendon, 

 somewhat taken by surprise, replied that the affair 

 was a very important one, that he had not thought 

 over it sufficiently to give an off-hand reply, that he 

 must refer to his Cabinet, and that, moreover, the 

 execution of the scheme was impossible. The Emperor, 

 while admitting that the affair was one demanding 

 reflection, maintained that the execution was possible, 

 and that science had pronounced definitely on that 

 score. As Lord Clarendon held to his view, the 

 Emperor said that, admitting the execution of the 

 scheme to be practicable, and reasoning upon this hypo- 

 thesis, what was England's view? Lord Clarendon 

 then declared that, from the point of view of English 

 trade, there could be no objection, and that England 

 would benefit considerably, but that as regarded the 

 relations of Egypt and Turkey, the matter was a very 

 delicate one, and that the Viceroy had no right to make 

 the canal without the authorisation of the Porte. 

 The Emperor reminded him of the favourable disposi- 

 tions of the Porte, and there the conversation ended. 

 I must say that it seems to me to be decisive of the 

 matter, and the conclusions to be drawn from it are 

 as under : 



" 1st. To treat with the utmost deference the sus- 

 ceptibilities of the Porte, ascertain precisely what are 



