90 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



nople have received instructions to support my 

 action.' 



"These considerations will form the elements of our 

 negotiations, and I am at your Highness' s disposal and 

 at that of the Sublime Porte for any further informa- 

 tion or explanations which may be deemed necessary. 

 I am convinced that at a moment when the most 

 enlightened men in the Ottoman Empire are happily 

 united in order to carry out the liberal intentions of 

 their sovereign, the project for piercing the Isthmus 

 of Suez will, after having been consecrated by science 

 and public opinion, meet with a favourable reception 

 from the councillors of the Sultan." 



To Count Th. de Lesseps, Paris. 



"CONSTANTINOPLE, January 11, 1858. 

 " Here is an unfortunate occurrence which will 

 probably have an awkward effect upon the negotia- 

 tions relating to the canal. I refer to the sudden and 

 unexpected death of Eeschid Pasha. I had seen him 

 the day before, and he was in excellent health. I am 

 told that after drinking a cup of coffee he was seized 

 with convulsions and vomiting, and soon expired. In 

 order to put an end to all the rumours in circulation, 

 a commission of European physicians was appointed, 

 and though they were unable to make a post-mortem 

 examination, they issued a report that the death was 

 due to natural causes. The people of the East are 



