THE MARITIME CANAL OF SUEZ. 237 



Lesseps, as he had known Said Pasha at the time when the latter 

 lived under the paternal government of Mehemet Ali. 



Encouraged by the remembrance of his friendly relations with 

 the new Viceroy, Said Pasha, he addressed him a letter of con- 

 gratulation on his accession to the Viceroyalty, and the result was, 

 an invitation was sent him to meet the Viceroy at Alexandria, 

 where he arrived on the 7th November, 1854, and endeavoured to 

 inspire him with the noble ambition which at one time was warmly 

 supported by his father, Mehemet Ali. Said Pasha responded to 

 this appeal, and replied in these words : — 



" I am satisfied ; and I accept your scheme. We shall arrange all the details 

 during our journey to Cairo. But understand it is settled, and you may count 

 upon me." 



The project being thus approved by the Viceroy, forthwith M. de 

 Lesseps entered upon the preliminary investigations for its construc- 

 tion, and he was greatly assisted at this early stage by several talented 

 engineers, amongst whom we may mention Mougel Bey and Linant 

 Bey, whose services Said Pasha placed at his disposal, and who 

 cordially associated themselves with his new-born scheme. With 

 them he proceeded to the Isthmus of Suez, and drew up an elabo- 

 rate scheme, fixing the direction of the Canal, with the details for 

 its execution and the probable cost. To insure success, he 

 determined to form the "Compagnie Universelle," and to asso- 

 ciate in the partnership, capitalists of all countries, and to interest 

 in its success the whole world ; and thus, by anticipating political 

 difficulties, to smpothe the way for their removal. 

 ■ The most delicate question at the outset arose from the relations 

 of the Pasha with his Suzerain, the Sultan of Turkey, as to the 

 actual powers of the Pasha for granting concessions to M. de 

 Lesseps, and to what extent the authorisation of the Sultan was 

 necessary for the concessions granted. The Council of the Porte 

 were consulted on this subject, which declared that the Hatti-Cheriff 

 of 1 84 1 conferred on the Pasha the right to act on that occasion in 

 accordance with his own views; and, accordingly, by a Firman dated 

 the 30th November, 1854, Said Pasha sanctioned the formation 

 of the " Compagnie Universelle '' for piercing the Isthmus 

 of Suez by the Maritime Canal, accessible to the navigation 

 of all nations ; and, by this Firman, a concession was granted to 

 M. de Lesseps, having a duration of ninety-nine years, at the end of 



s* 



