92 RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



Egypt had sent me, and he expressed his hearty con- 

 currence in the friendly sentiments which Mohammed 

 expressed. I also read him the following letter, 

 which I had received from Cairo under date of Feb- 

 ruary 6th : 



" 4 ,The day before yesterday the English Consul, Mr. 

 Green, went to see the Yiceroy and read him a letter 

 from Lord Clarendon, thanking him on behalf of the 

 British Government for the facilities afforded in the 

 transport of troops to India. But he added that none 

 of the news sent by M. de Lesseps with regard to the 

 progress being made at Constantinople in carrying 

 the canal scheme through was in keeping with his 

 information; that Mr. Alison, the English Charge' 

 d' Affaires in the absence of Lord Stratford de Eed- 

 cliffe, had shown Aali Pasha letters from Lord 

 Palmerston in opposition to the canal, and that Aali 

 had signed an agreement not to grant the firman 

 without the assent of England. These details were 

 repeated almost publicly in front of the Viceroy's 

 palace, in the presence of several persons, by Mus- 

 tapha Bey, the Viceroy's nephew. The Viceroy is 

 said to have very sensibly replied that, so far as he 

 was concerned, he had granted the concession for the 

 canal three years ago ; that he was no longer in a 

 position to interfere ; that the matter rested with the 

 Divan ; and that if England had anything to say she 

 must address herself to the Porte.' " 



