84 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



account must be taken, and in neglecting no oppor- 

 tunity, great or small, of obtaining partizans, I help 

 the work on." 



To Count Th. de Lesscps. 



"CONSTANTINOPLE, December 25, 1857. 



" Yesterday I had a conference, extending over 

 two hours, with Eeschid Pasha in his house at 

 Emerghian, on the Bosphorus. I did not fail to say 

 all I could think of as likely to strike him, and show 

 him the advantage of a favourable solution emanating 

 from the initial action of Turkey herself. 



" Eeschid brought me back in his steamer, and as 

 we were alone we were able to carry on the conver- 

 sation. He readily made me formal promises, and I 

 was even astonished to find how very strongly he 

 expressed himself in favour of the canal. 



" I gave him to understand that I set less store by 

 his promises than by the manner in which he carried 

 them out, either upon his own responsibility, or at the 

 orders of the Sultan or the Cabinet, in the event of his 

 not caring to take the personal responsibility of the 

 matter. I learnt that upon leaving me he lost no time 

 in submitting to the Ministerial Council a memorandum 

 which I had previously shown to M. Thouvenel and 

 of which he expressed his approval. I send you a 

 copy of it for Count Walewski. Previous to my con- 

 ference with Eeschid I had a separate interview with 

 each member of the Council, and I did all I could to 



