78 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



Nothing, therefore, can be more deplorable than this 

 conflict at Constantinople between the Ambassadors 

 of France and England with respect to the canal.' 



" The Daily News, in a leading article of the follow- 

 ing day (September 10th), says: 



" < This pretended right to keep the East for our- 

 selves and exclude the rest of Europe from the Eed 

 Sea is the survival of an antiquated policy of which 

 Lord Palmerston remembers far too much. This is a 

 senile piece of nonsense on his lordship's part which 

 ought to be got rid of for good, as it doubtless would 

 have been if there had been twenty members present 

 in the House who understood the question. For what 

 have we to gain by excluding the European Powers 

 from Asiatic waters ? France has aided us in our 

 negotiations with Persia. Her co-operation is still 

 more desirable in the war with China. Perhaps in 

 the last century it might have been prudent and 

 practicable to act alone in the affairs of the East, but 

 at the present time there is no Power which does not 

 stand in need of allies either in Europe or Asia. We 

 need hardly point out that our best ally is France. 

 The policy of the Cabinet, or rather that of Lord 

 Palmerston, during the past year, has been to defy 

 all Europe, France included, as regards the Suez 

 Canal, and to declare, "The Eed Sea is mine; you 

 shall not enter it." 



" Eef erring to the transport of troops over the Isth- 

 mus of Suez, The Daily News of October 2, 1857, said: 



