THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 311 



her zeal for universal progress, civilisation, and public 

 wealth, if it is seen that England, where public opinion 

 reigns supreme, allows her Government to continue 

 its incredible opposition to the Suez Canal, a private 

 enterprise, in the origin, constitution, and object of 

 which there is nothing to awaken any suspicion of 

 political rivalry ? How can the apostles of free trade 

 and open competition propagate their doctrines when 

 the two leading members of the Cabinet, who recently 

 figured in their ranks, will not agree, through fear or 

 horror of competition, to the suppression of a narrow 

 neck of land which divides the two most opulent 

 of seas, and stands as a feeble barrier against all the 

 navies of the globe ? 



" One of your greatest ministers spoke as follows at 

 a sitting of the House of Commons, when a vote was 

 taken which has reflected so much glory upon him : 



" c You have to choose between progress towards 

 liberty and a return to prohibition ; you have to choose 

 the motto in which the commercial policy of England 

 will be made manifest. Will it be : " Advance," or " Go 

 back " ? Which of the two words best suits this great 

 Empire ? Consider our position, the advantages which 

 Providence and nature have conferred upon us, and 

 the destiny which awaits us. We are situated at the 

 extremity of Western Europe, the principal ring, as 

 it were, which connects the Old World and the New. 

 The discoveries of science and the improvements in 

 navigation have already brought us within ten days 



