The Express.
London, England, 1859-12-19 00:00:00

serious for us if our interests in Egypt are misrepre-
sented or misunderstood. Whatever might blithe hol-
lowness of the scheme of M. De LESSUS, considered
as a source of profit on the capital to be employed in
carrying it out, it contained a promise of advantage
to the commerce of Europe too specious not to be
eagerly embraced, especially by states having port.
in or near the Mediterranean. The lem the projec
was encouraged at the great centres of existing com-
merce, the more favour it would gain among peoples
ambitious of a maritime MOW he which they are
not fitted by nature and h►bit, and anxious to ascribe
the causes of their past failure) to the disadvantages
of their geographical position rather than to their
own incapacity. The proposal to remove a great
natural obstacle to intercourse with the East by se-
curing continuity of the voyage fromTrieste,Odelea,
Genoa, and Naples to Calcutta, Bombay, and liur-
etcher, by the Red Sea, is one which was rum to receive
a hearty welcome in Southern and Central Europe. It
is nothing to the Austrian merchant and shipowner
if the money which M. DC LEMUR persuades him
associates to bury in the Egyptian desert is lost to
them for ever. They want the canal, and do not airs
who makes it. The English and Dutch may writs
pamphlets exposing the vanity of their expectations;
by so doing they only confines the prejudices they
would destroy. And not only these who expect
immediate gain, but all who do not think they have
something to lose by it favour the project. The
spirit of the age is in favour of breaking down bar-
riers, defeating the obstacles of nature, and uniting
parts of the world formerly separated.
In the face of these interests and tendencies it woe
most important that the nature end limits of oar
own interests in the proposed construction of the Suez
Canal should be thoroughly understood. According
to the highest English scientific opinion, the thing
would not pay as an investment of capital, and so-
cording to the calculations of our seamen, the Sues
route could not be used for the conveyance of heavy
merchandise without loss of time, while it would
give us little or no advantage in respect of our paic
senger and mail traffic. These are good me-
sons why we should have nothing to do with the
scheme. Bat they do not of themselves justify
the statesmen of this country in standing forward
as its opponents. It is true the world is front time
to time amused that these are the grounds on which
our Government has resisted the confirmation at
Constantinople of the concession granted to M.
DE I.C.SSZPB by the Viceroy of EGYPT. Great
Britain is represented aa taking infinite pains, de—
interestedly, to protect the pockets of the capitalists
of the world, who but for her would hasten to
embark their fortunes in the most hopeless of pro-
jects. The misfortune is that professions like these,
instead of causing merely the ridicule they de-
serve, add irritation to the foolish distrust with
which England is regarded abroad. It is no duty of
ours to keep the speculators of Europe out of barren
schemes. Neither is it our policy to hinder any
possible development of their commerce which other
nations hope to derive from the cutting of the
Isthmus of Suez. Even if it could be shown that
by preventing that work we could secure to ourselves
advantages which other nations would acquire by
its construction, we could not in reason or morality
make that a ground of active opposition to the under-
taking. The good sense of the nation would
not permit its Government to do so. The
interests we have in Egypt are real and posi-
tive, but they are so identified with those of
the greater part of Europe that they may be
avowed in any congress that can assemble. We con-
ceive that the credit and dignity of England require
that our policy should be openly based upon them.
Our interests require that Egypt shall not fall under
the control of any foreign power. We can never
permit anyone to hold the means of cutting off our
road to India. The policy of England, we submit,
should be to defeat the project of M. DB LESSEE'S, so
far as it tends to effect this result, and as for the rest, to
leave it to those who take an interest in the construc-
tion of the Canal. The concession which the French
Company has obtained from the Egyptian Govern-
ment would be fatal to the independenos either of the
VICEROY or of the Sumac, if it were confirmed. It
would have the effect of introducing armed foreigners
into the country, occupying fortresses on the line of
the Canal. Prussia, Russia, and Austria can have no
iatenet in bringing about a French occupation of
Egypt, and it an hardly be beyond the powers of
English diplomacy, if the negotiation is properly ma-
naged, to induce them to concur with us in obtaining
such ►mendments and limitations of the concession se
should make the project of the Sues Canal a purely
commercial enterprise, instead of the political quer-
Um it is at present. This we have a right to ask.
The wrong to which we should expose ourselves by
accepting less would justify us in insisting upon
each conditions, which, moreover, would be stipu-
lated as much in the interests of the rest of Europe
as of our own. But if these were obtainable, our
opposition to the project would surely have at-
tained all its legitimate objects. It would be a gra-
tuitous, we will say a wanton, sacrifice of the repu-
tation and influence of England, if now we were to
give thou whose policy on other important ques-
tions is opposed to ours, reason to say that we are
seeking our advantage in keeping back, and not in
forwarding, the civilisation of the world, and placing
oar own self-interest before the general prosperity of
meakisid.

ST. GE01101.6-1111-THE-EAST.—For the first time
those dm wean the morning services yesterday were sm-
arted by the make himself. Thera wae bat a thin atter
dew awl Hale laramptloo. The service was choral se
weak but the portions of It felling to the rector were not
awed by him, while he did not, tut en his lam appearance
la the pedgM, turn big beck to the congregation, either at the
eammecement or at the close of his sermon. no on 'Mimi
Femme Bandays a atesidersols number of paws left the
church at the caweatemesit a and Wag the sormon. The
Lulu service In the allersoot pried el with about the
tenet quantum of inentreptiest la the shape of combine.
The rector was win pereat, bat the Bev. Yr. Maconochut
ellotabed. la Me wain the ream was net present, sad
the rerviere we easdatied by the Ser. Kr. Lowder. There
we sew aid thia daring the prayers tweilandllelairrrap-
liaa by wee of conehisa, tint during the asinsces that de-
serf eima of assoyanot seemed to have reached Its climax, for
at violent was It that dm preacher had frequently 10 peal.
1 until It sahaided, tee arese ampletely drowit.ni toe yoke.
Mr. SPURGEON AT EXETER HALL—Yesterday
the Rev. C. H. Naimoli conaorsced a sew aria of Sunday
aerator melon at Ritter Hail, which, notwithstanding the
bulk, ens., and chillies wind, use crowded to stow.. There
was sot, is fee, standing room for soother individual ; sod
sissy who came late were oblored to leave. The coati's's-
Wu was se motel eilmlued by yrrferenoe tickets up to half-
peer tea, when the peers& public in • very few adulates. Gard
up the reinstate,/ seats. A few airarialar• dropped In jut at
the rev. teal's...as was shoat to tvemorece hi. dianourse, and
Hr. Ilairisea told thew that it wall • poiat of hie religion to
distant Nobody she, sad that thirster* in Exeter Hall, 1111-
Miedienely atter the senommoareent of the service, She door
for the hove wale be closed.
SUNDAY RIMMING SERVICES IS Till BRITUIP/lA
TilLaTen--Leet remise a sew el.. of Sunday envies wee
eommentwall la the Britannia Theron, Holton Ott Ti....
Si he r ameren Walt the inetimur bight of this swigs
was • decided wars. The boildise, which is said to me-
tals 4,000 prams. was eurirod to overflowing, end multi-
tudes war sway whir to oblate weirrino. The some
maids wee mey Wats that usually wasseeed among per-
sew sambas Os Isla in worship. As many of one modem
mg be sin" s public hon., brilliantla lighted and /wetly
itmememet, divides the mgr.... The long pi nod duds,
wish a ....r arced which compirtvly blotted the thorough.
fan wee kept waiting, doubtless accounted for the =men,.
sad bequest attainments which were withstand to the
mijdasset and very easteentently mutat.' pebbe-hoar afore-
au saaL B ier riars the mad.. binappearance there was
inns sareably bat oroughour the service the utmost
Wenn preeelled. Rev. W. Brock, of Bloomsbury
Cirri. ellkimed.