tHE Maritime Canal of sue2. 277 



posed Convention, it now devolved upon them to arrange for the 

 submission of the Convention, as amended, to the other European 

 Powers. 



Accordingly, the French Government, to whose initiative in 1885, 

 after the failure of the Conference at Berlin in 1883, was largely due 

 this Convention, addressed a circular Despatch to the Powers, which 

 was approved, in the first instance, by the Marquis of Salisbury, in- 

 viting their acceptance of the Draft Convention, " for guaranteeing 

 the free use of the Suez Canal by all the Powers, at all times." At 

 the same time a circular Despatch was forwarded, by the Marquis of 

 Salisbury to the British Ambassadors at Berlin, Vienna, Madrid, 

 Rome, The Hague, St. Petersburg, Constantinople, and Cairo, with 

 instructions to support the French Ambassadors in those Capitals, 

 accompanied by a copy of the above Despatch of October 21, 

 1887, and the Draft of the proposed Convention. 



With the exception of Turkey, the whole of the European Powers, 

 unconditionally, accepted the Convention, which fully justified the 

 sanguine anticipations of M. Friycinet, that, provided England and 

 France were agreed, Europe would be perfectly satisfied. The 

 opposition of Turkey was confined to certain conditions contained 

 in Articles VIII. and X., in the former, demanding that, at all the 

 Suez Canal meetings of the representatives of the Signatory Powers 

 in Egypt, they should be presided over by the Ottoman Ambassador ; 

 and in Article X., that the Ottoman Porte should have free use of 

 the Canal by its mihtary or naval forces for the defence of Egypt, 

 and the maintenance of public order in its Empire. 



From this date, October, 1887, to October, 1888, a period of 

 twelve months, the Ottoman Porte delayed, if not imperilled, the 

 acceptance of this great international instrument, and much patience 

 was exercised, and many Despatches and pourparlers exchanged, 

 ere a satisfactory result was reached. 



Fortunately, throughout the negotiations, France and England 

 were united, and the other European Powers remained firm in their ' 

 support, and were not to be diverted by the crafty diplomacy of the 

 Ministers of the Sultan ; and, fortunately, too, England was power- 

 fully represented at Constantinople by one of the ablest and most 

 resolute of her Ambassadors, Sir William White, whose influence 

 and counsels are not unappreciated by the Sultan and his Ministers. 



These various influences steadily exerted themselves, and there 



