The Sun.
London, England, 1864-02-15 00:00:00

AL,

The Suez Canal banquet took place last week at
the Exhibition Palace in the Champs Elysees,
Prince Napoleon presiding. At the end of the room
there was a large panoramic painting of the isth-
mus. Covers were laid for 1,500. M. Millescamps
proposed a toast to the Emperor, the Empress, and
the Prince Imperial, which was drunk with loud
acclamations. The Prince, in a speech which was
loudly applauded, gave an historical sketch of the
undertaking, pointed out its grandeur and utility,
and paid a just tribute of praise to all those who
had taken part in it.

The Prince explained what he conceived to be
the attitude assumed by Great Britain in the ques-
tion. He eid not confound the Government with
the nation ; he esteemed the English people, be-
cause they had a love for great things ; he admired
them because they had noble aspirations,.and they
loved liberty; but the people had not a Govern-
ment worthy of them. Eighty years were a heavy
burden on the heads of noble lords as well as on
those of simple mortals. The canal had therefore
nothiug to fear from the English nation. Would it
have anything to dread from a warlike veto from
the British Cabinet ? Such a question could not be
serious ; and how, in fact, could any one imagine
that Earl Russell and Lord Palmerston could make
war for a canal from which England would derive
the greatest advantage, when they refused to give
a soldier or expend a shilling for the most noble,
the greatest, and the most generous causes—for
Italy and for Poland ? The company, strong in its
right, must therefore persevere. That right had
been, it was true, disputed, but could it be really
attacked, either as regarded the lands conceded, the
fresh water canal, or the number of workmen which
the Egyptian Government had engaged to furnish.
He treated as they deserved the calumnies
directed against the company on the subject of
forced labour—a bad institution certainly, but
one which was made use of as an element inherent
in the country, but nevertheless rendered milder in
proportions unknown in Egypt. Did that mean
that the company ought to reject all conciliation ?
Certainly not. He would, on the contrary, recom-
mend an amicable arrangement with the Viceroy,
taking as basis the principle of a sufficiently remu-
nerative indemnity. The work cost so much with
the fellabs, it would cost more with free labourers
and machines ; let Egypt pay the difference. As
to the lands conceded, the company held them on a
rouble title—first, by contract, and afterwards in
virtue of the Egyptian law, which accorded the pos-
session of the soil to him who was able to irrigate it.
Those lands, now barren, would hereafter become a
source of wealth, thanks to the fresh water canal.
To cede them to the Viceroy according to a simple
estimate of their present value would be a pure loss

to the shareholders; but their future worth could
not at present be the object of any serious appre-
ciation. The plan of proceeding must therefore be
one of succcessive repurchase—that is to say, by
portions as they should have been improved by ad-
vantageous irrigations. It was thus that all inte-
rests would be reconciled.

M. de Lesseps afterwards addressed the com-
pany present, and explained the results which had
been obtained and those to be expected. He
thanked Prince Napoleon for the interest he has
taken in the work, and the shareholders for their
indefatigable co-operation. Proenreur-Gen. Dupin
briefly demonstrated the importance of the junction
of the two seas, and, expressing hie confidence in
the future success of the undertaking, named it the
Canal of Good Hope.

THE DANISH FRIGATE NILS JIIEL.

PLYMOUTH, Sunday, 8 p.m.

The Danish frigate which arrived this afternoon
is the Nils Juel, 46, Captain Gotlieb, 14 days from
Copenhagen and eight from Norway. The Prussian
bark which she captured off Lowestoft last Tuesday
was bound from Memel, with timber, for London.
Her second mate, two able seamen, and the boy are
on board the frigate. Her master, who is part
owner, and six men are sent to Copenhagen in the
bark, which is in charge of a naval officer and eight
men. _ _

Several Prussian vessels with the National Jack
hoisted, looking for pilots, could have been captured
by the frigate off the East coast.
Captain Gotlieb has orders to take ships belong.
ing to Prussia, Austria, Bremen, Lubeck, and
Hanover.

_The frigate appears to have been fitted in great
haste. Several of the crew are landsmen. Some of
her copper has been scraped off on a sandbank,
and it is probable that she will have to be docked
for two or three days. _

The only Austrian merchant vessels now in port
are the brig Milost, Captain Radonicich, from the
Mediterranean, with 2,oooqrs. of grain for Antwerp,
and the brig Budua, Captain Marrassi, 245 tons,
which has just discharged timber, and is now
bound for Cardiff, to load coal for a foreign port.
Notwithstanding the high rates of freight, the
masters of Norwegian merchant ships in this har-
bour decline chartering for belligerent ports, not
knowing how long the present neutrality may con-
tinue. A French gunboat arrived this afternoon to
watch the proceedings of the French fishing boats,
several of which are here.

PLYMOUTH, Monday, 10 a.m.
The French gunboat, which arrived here last
evening, is the Cuv:er, last from Dartmouth.
The Prussian barque, captured last Tuesday, is
the Trerie, Captain Bugish, of and from Memel,
with 580 loads of timber, consigned to Mr. Hoff-
mann, London. Her second mate and four hands
went sent ashore this morning from the Danish
frigate, and are now in the Sailors' Home here.