THE ORIGIN OF THE SUEZ CANAL. 149 

 To the same. 



"ALEXANDRIA, March 10, 1863. 



a l took care to be at Alexandria upon the return 

 of the Viceroy from Constantinople, and I was one of 

 the first to see him. He told me in confidence all that 

 had occurred during his visit to the Sultan, as you 

 will learn from my brother Theodore, whom I have 

 requested to communicate them to you before inform- 

 ing ]\I. Drouyn de Lhuys of them. 



"The Viceroy's voyage has produced the best pos- 

 sible results for us, and, to use his own words, he said 

 to me, < If you had been Viceroy of Egypt as well 

 as president of your company, you could not have 

 done better in the interests of the Suez Canal 

 scheme.' 



"There need, therefore, be no fear now as to the 

 rapid progress of our works, and the discharge of the 

 debt due from the Egyptian Treasury. The Viceroy 

 started yesterday for Cairo, after receiving the new 

 French Consul-General, my old friend M. Tastu, who 

 will do all he can for us, though we must not forget 

 the services rendered us by M. de Beauval." 



To Count Th. de Lesseps, Paris. 



11 CAIRO, Aitsjust 28, 1863. 



" I have just received from an intimate and devoted 

 friend in Paris the following letter : 



" ' I think it right to let you know what I have 



