THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 83 



" I am personally very grateful to the Emperor for 

 what he said to Prince Napoleon about me. He made 

 no secret of his hearty wish for the success of the 

 undertaking." 



To M. Barthelemy St. Hilaire, Paris. 



11 CONSTANTINOPLE, December 16, 1857. 



" I yesterday made my first visit to Keschid Pasha, 

 who was reappointed Grand Yizier a short time ago, 

 and to other Ministers and functionaries, and the 

 first dragoman to the Embassy, who accompanied me, 

 informed them all that he was instructed by M. Thou- 

 venel how much interest his Government attached to 

 the success of my negotiations with them. 



" Keschid Pasha seemed very pleased at this 

 resumption of relations with the French Embassy, 

 and in two or three days Aali Pasha, the Minister of 

 Foreign Affairs, will give a grand dinner, to which 

 M. Thouvenel, Keschid Pasha, and myself will be 

 invited. 



" Keschid knows perfectly well that the French 

 Embassy is going to give his temper and disposition 

 a fresh trial, and he is too anxious to remain in office 

 to compromise himself if he can help it. I shall not 

 commence my parleys with him and the other minis- 

 ters until after this dinner of reconciliation. How- 

 ever, I am not losing any time, and am preparing 

 my ground in all directions, for there is in all 

 countries, even in Turkey, a public opinion of which 



