THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 73 



which would be very dangerous for the rights of the 

 Sultan.' 



" This question was referred to in the French 

 Chamber, in the course of a debate upon the negotia- 

 tions which followed the battle of Nezib, and M. de 

 Lamartine spoke as follows : 



" 'Nature is stronger than these wretched national 

 antipathies. Europe and India will communicate, 

 despite all you may do, by way of Suez. You will 

 but have delayed this great and beneficent act of 

 Providence ; the two worlds will join hands, and 

 gather new life as they do so, by way of Egypt.' 



(i We have now the Indian mutiny, which will 

 supply the English press with a new and powerful 

 argument against Lord Palmerston, and against the 

 reluctance to make use of the route through Egypt. 

 An Englishman writes as follows to The Daily Neivs : 



" ' The last- news of the mutiny in India reached 

 England on June 17th. Since then a body of 2,000 

 men might have been despatched from England 

 every fortnight, and have reached India by way of 

 Egypt in six weeks. "Why does not the Government 

 send troops to India through Egypt ? The Govern- 

 ment has refused to answer. It is because of its 

 reluctance to furnish the promoters of the Suez Canal 

 with an argument the more.' 



"In the meanwhile the mutiny is running its course, 

 and costing the lives of many brave men, who were 

 looking for more prompt relief than that sent by way 



VOL. II. G 



