THE MARITIME' CANAL OF SUEZ. 



263 



the maritime Nations together, and the following figures attest this 

 great fact : — 



The Tonnage and Receipts for Vessels Passing Through 

 THE Suez Canal for the Year 1885. 



Showing, that to Great Britain belongs three-fourths of the 

 Tonnage, and three-fourths of the Receipts. 



In addition to the commercial, there was the political aspect of 

 the question. If England holds in the world the dominant 

 position which legitimately belongs to her, if she is respected and 

 'feared, if she is dreaded and honoured, if she has allies willing to 

 advance with her in the path of civihsation, and to give her their 

 support without fear and without jealousy, is it not because England, 

 freely governed by a conscientious public opinion, knows how to 

 place right above might, and, "To be just, and fear not " ? 



What, therefore, we should all desire to secure is a common 

 accord of the separate views of France and England, not only 

 in regard to the affairs of Egypt, but for the pacific arrangement of 

 all questions concerning the Suez Canal. To reconcile conflicting 

 rights, to conciliate French susceptibilities, to be generous to France 

 while just to England, it is only fair to say that, from first to last, 

 whatever Government has been in power, these grand objects have 

 been the aims and intentions of English statesmanship. 



A memorable instance of this firm determination of England to 

 safeguard the interests alike of France, and of the Suez Canal, is to 

 be found, in the decisive action of Lord Derby in 1877, at the onset 

 of the Russo-Turkish War. It was in May of that year that M. de 

 Lesseps hurried expressly to London, to confer with the British 

 Foreign Minister on the important question of the right of passage 

 of the ships of the belligerent Nations of Russia and Turkey 

 through the Suez Canal, and, also, in the prospective danger of the 

 violation, ipso facto, of its neutrality. He submitted a project for the 



