THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 75 



possible way the despatch of these troops intended to 

 ensure the triumph of civilisation over barbarism. 



"Lord Palmerston's conduct is still very severely 

 condemned, and one journal says : ' Let us hope that 

 he will see by this what a blunder he has made, and 

 how dangerous it will be for him to persist in it.' 



" But this is not all, for, in addition to the Coun- 

 cils-General, the Chambers of Commerce of the thirty- 

 seven largest French towns have sent resolutions to 

 the Government expressing their concurrence in the 

 project for making the canal, while the Paris Chamber 

 of Commerce has placed itself at the head of these 

 manifestations which are only just beginning. With 

 less obligation to be guarded in their attitude than 

 the Councils-General, the Chambers of Commerce also 

 protest against the attitude of Lord Palmerston, and 

 urge the Government to intercede and ensure the 

 execution of a project which will be one of the glories 

 of the century. " 



To Mr. Darby Griffith, M.P., London. 



" PARIS, September 15, 1857. 



" I have read with much interest the speech which 

 you made in the House of Commons, and of which you 

 have been kind enough to send me a copy. 



"You expressed with force and eloquence the most 

 noble and just ideas as to the true policy of England 

 in this important question. I feel, like you, very 

 certain that Lord Palmerston is making a most unfor- 



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