THE MARITIME CANAL OF SUEZ. 267 



incident of, but it was also a heavy blow, to the Administration of 

 Mr. Gladstone. It constituted one of those chapters of accidents 

 which marked the Government's policy in Egypt, and it not 

 only irritated Ferdinand de Lesseps and his powerful Corporation, 

 but it strained still ' further England's relations with France, dis- 

 turbed enough already, owing to the latter's isolated position in 

 connection with Egyptian affairs. 



THE PROPOSED NEUTRALISATION OF THE CANAL. 



To atone for this check to the Foreign Policy of England, and to 

 appease, if possible, the resentment of France, the English Govern- 

 ment resolved to make another attempt to secure the satisfactory 

 solution of the difficulty, and, accordingly, on the 3rd January, 

 1883, Lord Granville sent a Despatch to the Ambassadors of 

 England at St. Petersburg, Berlin, Vienna, Paris, and Rome, for 

 presentation to their accredited Governments, wherein he pro- 

 posed to leave the Canal free for ships of war, including those 

 of belligerents, at all times, with certain important limitations to 

 prevent the Canal being made either a shelter for belligerents, or 

 a base for their military operations. 



In order to enable the reader to judge of this important diplomatic 

 step, we will give the full text of this Despatch of Lord Granville : — 



" One result of recent occurrences has been to call special attention to tlie 

 Suez Canal : firstly, on account of the danger with which it was threatened during 

 the brief success of the insurrection ; secondly, in consequence of its occuca- 

 tion by the British forces in the name of the Khedive, and their use of it as abase 

 of the operations carried on in His Highness's behalf, and in support of his 

 authority ; and thirdly, because of the attitude assumed by the Directors and 

 officers of the Canal Company at a critical period of the campaign. 



" As regards the first two of these points. Her Majesty's Government believe 

 that the free and imimpeded navigation of the Canal, at all times, and its freedom 

 from obstruction or damage by acts of war, are matters of importance to all 

 nations. It has been generally admitted that the measures taken by them for 

 protecting the navigation and the use of the Canal on behalf of the territorial 

 ruler, for the purpose of restoring his authority, were in no way infringements 

 of this general principle. But to put upon a clearer footing the position of 

 the Canal for the future, and to provide against possible dangers, they aie of 

 opinion that an agreement to the following eflfect might with advantage be come 

 to between the Great Powers, to which other nations would subsequently be 

 invited to accede." 



" I. That the Canal should be free for the passage of all ships in any, circum- 

 stances, 



U 



