THt; MARITIMJE CANAL OF SUEZ. 2^3 



weeks, of the return of Mr. Gladstone to power, ou the 15th Feb- 

 ruary, 1886, the French Ambassador was instructed to interview the 

 new Foreign Minister, Lord Rosebery, and to inform him, that the 

 French Government considered the time had now come when the 

 Negotiations for the conclusion of an international arrangement, for 

 the Free Navigation of the Suez Canal, might with advantage be 

 resumed. Lord Rosebery, whilst not sharing this view of urgency, 

 suggested that the French Government should formulate in writing 

 their proposals; and, on the 22nd February, M. Waddington stated, 

 that the principal question of divergence of opinion referred to the 

 nature, and character of the superintending authority inEgypt, to en- 

 sure the execution of the Treaty, and that the prevailing opinion of 

 the Great Powers was in favour of Great Britain and France — the two 

 Powers mainly interested — coming to a good understanding there- 

 upon, and, afterwards, there would be no insuperable difficulty in 

 securing the assent of the other Maritime Powers, represented at the 

 Conference. On the loth March, Lord Rosebery informed M. 

 Waddington that he was of the same opinion as his predecessor, 

 that the time was not favourable for the resumption of negotiations, 

 and, strongly counselled postponement ; but the French Minister, 

 De Freycinet, was not to be denied, for on the same day of the receipt 

 of Lord Rosebery's Despatch, he reminded Lord Lyons, the Ambas- 

 sador of England at Paris, of the various Despatches and verbal 

 communications that had been made to the British Government, 

 past and present, and that each advance had been met by frivolous 

 excuses for delay, and urged the great need of a speedy settlement of 

 the vexed question on the ground, not of any international pressure 

 or danger, but solely because there was a strong political feeling in 

 France, and of the inconvenience arising from the recalcitrant 

 Deputies in the French Chambers pressing for information. 



In consequence of this remonstrance, addressed to Lord Lyons 

 by De Frdycinet, Lord Rosebery replied, on the 17th of March, in 

 a lengthy Despatch, justifying the caution displayed throughout 

 the difficult negotiations, both by the Marquis of Salisbury, and 

 himself; and, in order to bring, if possible, the difficulty to an end, 

 he promised, en behalf of Her Majesty's Government, to give the 

 utmost consideration to any definite scheme proposed by the French 

 Government for the settlement of the question. Accordingly, 

 De Frdycinet, within a week of the proposal made by Her Majesty's 

 Government, submitted a preliminary statement, setting forth the 



