THE MARITIME CANAL OF SUEZ. 253 



his opposition by the firm refusal of his Suzerain the Porte, as 

 shown by a Despatch sent by Server Pasha, addressed to Musurus 

 Pasha, Turkish Ambassador in London, for communication to the 

 British Government, in which the following passage occurs ; — 



" The Sublime Porte could not admit, even in principle, the sale of the Canal, 

 or the creation of an International Administration on its own territory. 



" The Sublime Porte will never bring itself to agree to such a modification.'' 



This Despatch of the Porte discouraged, for a time, at least, any 

 further negotiations, if they can be called negotiations, as they 

 appear to have been strictly confined to pourparlers, having this 

 double object in view — help to the Khddive and the Suez Canal 

 Company from the financial distress which threatened them. 



The critical position of affairs could not be concealed from the 

 public eye, and during the years of 1873 and 1874 various rumours 

 were afloat, and in influential quarters it was stated that the French 

 ambassador in London, Le Due de la Rochefaucauld, had discussed 

 the question with the Foreign Minister, the Earl of Derby, that the 

 latter had expressed an opinion in favour of the Maritime Powers 

 acquiring the possession of the Canal ; but still nothing definite was 

 declared, and the negotiations dragged along, d la Porte, at a weary 

 pace. 



Suddenly, however, as it were, " a bolt from the blue," on the 5th 

 November, 1875, the British Government were startled by a report 

 from an authoritative source, that there was a movement in France, 

 represented by a strong body of French capitalists, to acquire from 

 the Khddive his shares and interest in the Canal, on such liberal 

 terms, as would place his financial affairs on a firm basis. 



A telegraphic Despatch was immediately sent by the Earl of 

 Derby, the Foreign Minister, to Major-General Stanton as follows ; — 



" Her Majesty's Governnient have received information that a combination of 

 French capitalists are offering to buy from the Khedive his interest in the Suez 

 Canal, and that His Highness's difficulties are such that it is thought possible he 

 may consent. 



" I have, therefore, to instruct you to ascertain whether there is any truth in 



this report. 



"Derby." 



The report proved to be well-founded, as on tTie i8th November, 

 Major-General Stanton informed the British Foreign Minister, by tele- 

 graph, that Nubar Pasha admitted the Khedive was in urgent need of 

 ;!r3,ooo,ooo to ;^4,ooo,ooo, if possible, by the 30th November, and 



