LBTTBR OF LORD PALMER6T0N TO LORD JOHN RUSSBLL

Extract from **Uîe of Henry John Temple, viacoont Palmerston" 1840-1865-

by the Hon. Evelyn Ashiey.

74, Piccadily, 8 december 1861.

My dear Russell,

Tbe proposai of a frencb, english and austrian commission to cnquire inlothe practicabilily of the Suez canal sounds fair and plausible, but would be a dangerous measure.

There are three aspects under which this scbeme may be lookcd at. First, as to tbe commercial advantage of it, if compleled ; secondly, as to the engineering and financial practicability of executing; thirdly, as to the political efTect of the canal, if completed.

Now, we cannot deny that if no objection could be urged against the scbeme on the second and third heads, no valid objection could be made to it on the first. Looking at the matler purely with référence to the commerce of Europe, any great work, which would shorten considerably the voyage to India would be advantageous to ail nations trading by sea to Asia. Even on this ground, however, there is something to be said against the scbeme because it was demonstrated by a Dutch engineer that owing to difficulties of navigating the Red sea, in conséquence of coral reefs,prevailing winds, and intense hcal, the navigation round the cape would, except with regard to very powerful steamers, be cheaper and shorter than through the canal.

But the second point hardly admits of a doubt. The Lesseps Company bave now been ostensibly at work for nearly ten years at a canal that is to be a hundrei feet wide and thirty feet deep from sea to sea, with ports for sea going vessels on the Medi-

terranean and Red sea ends, and yet up to this moment, though «L very large part of their nominal capital bas been spent, sot one single spadeful bas been turned up for tbe construction of tbe canal. Lesseps bas begun wbat be calls bis rigole^ a boat canal Iwelve feet wide and four feet deep, of wbich one tbird beginning from the nortb end bas been.finisbed ; a second tbird may be completed on tbe next spring or early summer and tbe remaining tbird would be more easily finisbed by letting tbe water of tbe Red sea into a sait marsb some way to the nortb of Suez. Lesseps is eager about tbis, because he tbinks bis sbares would rise in the market at Paris if be could sbow that be bad actually floated a boat from sea lo sea. But he will not tell bis sbarebolders wbat is nevertheless tbe fact, that tbis boat canal or "rigole" is not to form any part whatever of the sliip canal; the sbip canal is to be dug in a line parallel to tbis boat canal, and tbe boat canal h only to be used like a railway, for the easier conveyauce of workmen, provisions and materials as the great work goes on, 1 understand that there is scarcely one among the french engineers employed who would not, if he told the truth, ac^ knowledge that the sbip canal could not be made witbout an amount of money and a period of time far ex'ceeding ail the calculations hitherto made and ihat if completed, it never could be made to pay interests on tbe cost incurred. It may safely be said tberefore, that as a commercial underlaking it is a bubble scheme whicb bas been taken up on political grouods and in antagonism to english interest and englisb policy.

Well then, we come to the last point, namely the political objects of tbe eriterprise, and thèse are bostility to England in every possible modi6cation of tbe scheme.

It requires only a glance at ibe map of tbe world to see how great would be the naval and military advanlage to France in a war with England to bave such a short eut lo tbe Indian seas, while we should be obliged to send sbips and troops round the Cape. Thouvenel proposes, indeed, that tbe passage of men of war should be forbidden as at tbe Dardanelles, but I présume be does not expect us to receive such a

proposai exeept with a deceotly suppressed smile. Of course the first week of a war between France and Eogland, would see 15 or 20,000 Frenchmeo in possession of the canal, to keep ît open for them and shut for us. But then, moreoyer, 80 strong a mililary barrier between Syriaand Egypt would greatly add to the means of the Pasha for the time being to déclare hirnself independent of Turkey, which would mean his being a dépendent of France; and lastly if the canal sbould ever be made, the french company are to hâve a large grant of land in the centre of Egypt and would establish in Egypt a colony whose complaintsagaintstheEgyptian government, well or ill founded, would give the french governneroent pretences for interfering in ail the internai affairs of the country.

I should say, therefore» on the whole, that it would be best for the french and english govemments to bave this scheme as a commercial and engineering question to be set ed by the resuit of expérience and the money roarkets of Europe; and that, as regards the political question, ail we ask of the french government is not to interfère in the matter, but to let ail questions between the Sublime Porte and the Pasha be settled according to the mutual rights and reciprocal obligations of those two parties.

Yours sincerely.

Palmeaston.

Traduction de la lettre précédente.