THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 



i , 



" As to the practical difficulties, whether at Suez 

 or Pelusium, they are not nearly so great as might 

 have been imagined previous to the survey made by 

 the eminent engineers who spent some time in the 

 isthmus, and the very conclusive observations made 

 in the Bay of Pelusium. 



"To conclude, I may add that you seem to ine to 

 be too well versed in economic questions not to be 

 led, after careful examination, to the conclusion that 

 the enterprise will be financially remunerative, if you 

 cast your eye over the official statistics which show 

 how enormously European trade is increasing in 

 Asiatic waters, the English figures for 185C showing 

 an increase of 181,000 tons over the previous year." 



To His Highness the Viceroy. 



" LA CHENAIE, September 28, 1857. 



"At a sitting of the House of Commons, refer- 

 ence being incidentally made to the Suez Canal, Mr. 

 Gladstone expressed himself in favour of the most 

 recent project, and condemned the Government for 

 opposing the manifest wish of the nation to participate 

 in the execution of this enterprise. He said : 



" ' There is no one who, casting his eyes over the 

 map of the globe, can deny that a canal through the 

 Isthmus of Suez must be a great step towards the 

 welfare of the whole world. This project commands 

 the assent and sympathy of all the governments of 

 Europe, especially that of France, our great ally. 



