66 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



To Mr. Robert Stephenson, M.P., Engineer. 



" LONDON, July 27, 1857. 



" I enclose you a copy of the speech, as reported in 

 The Times j delivered by you in the House of Commons 

 on the 17th inst., and I shall be obliged if you will 

 inform me whether this report is a correct one. The 

 engineers of the International Commission, who have 

 all their lives long devoted their studies to the con- 

 struction of ports and canalisation, can best answer 

 the technical part of your speech* but there is one 

 point to which I venture to call your attention, because 

 it concerns me personally. You said, according to The 

 Times, i I agree with the First Lord of the Treasury.' 

 Now, Lord Palmerston, who holds a position which 

 prevents me from addressing myself to him personally, 

 had just spoken as follows : i I do not think, there- 

 fore, that I am far wrong in saying that the project is 

 one of those chimeras so often formed to induce Eng- 

 lish capitalists to part with their money, the end being 

 that these schemes leave them poorer, though they 

 may make others much richer.' I ask you, sir, for 

 a written explanation of what you mean, either fur- 

 nished by yourself or by two of your friends, whom 

 you will please put in communication with me. I do 

 not doubt that you will at once give me these explana- 

 tions. I have come over from France on purpose to 

 ask you for them. I have the honour, sir, to place 

 myself at your disposal." 



