3 o8 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



Constantinople for the purpose of regulating by means 

 of a convention the perpetual neutrality of the passage 

 through the Suez Canal, the principle of which, in so 

 far as regards the Ottoman Empire, is already set forth 

 in Clause 14 of the Act of Concession. 



u In this way the internal question of the execu- 

 tion of the canal is kept separate, as it should be, 

 from the external question of neutrality. The prero- 

 gatives of the territorial sovereignty remain intact, 

 and the Ottoman Empire, assuming for the first time 

 since the conclusion of peace the influential position 

 which it has a right to occupy in a negotiation of 

 public European law, satisfies the political and com- 

 mercial interests of all the Powers, while it at the 

 same time obtains, by their accession, a fresh guarantee 

 of its integrity and independence. 



" The Viceroy of Egypt, who has so faithfully served 

 his Suzerain during the war, will have rendered, by 

 his conduct in regard to a work of peace, a not less 

 signal service, and thus will be fulfilled the prediction 

 of Napoleon I. at the beginning of the century, that 

 the execution of the canal from sea to sea would con- 

 tribute to the glory and to the maintenance of the 

 Ottoman Empire." 



To Mr. Richard Cobden, M.P., London. 



" CAIRO, November 22, 1856. 



"Five years ago I informed you that the Viceroy 

 of Egypt had determined to make a maritime canal 



