The Sun.
London, England, 1857-10-27 00:00:00

THE ISTHMUS OF SUEZ CdIVAL.

The Constitutionnel contains a most intemperate
article on the Suez Canal scheme, in the course of
which Lord Palmerston and the Sublime Porte are
threatened with a European coalition, while Eng-
land even is not spared certain mysterious menaces.
It is very certain that our contemporary, as well as
the other Paris journals which follow in its wake
and have elevated the Suez canal project to the
height of a grand political question, could not have
selected a system more calculated to strengthen the
opposition of the British Government and nation
to the enterprise in question than these idle thr, ate
and this reckless language. We extract the follow-
ing passages from the article in question :
The opposition of the English Ministry has
completely failed in its object ; it has given new
importance to the project of cutting through the
isthmus. Those who remained indifferent or even
incredulous threw offimmediately their indifference
and their incredulity, and ranged themselves
amongst the most resolute partisans of the enter-
prise. The first effect of the opposition of Lord
Palmerston was consequently to secure to the
project greater popularity and more numerous ad-
hesions. Protestations arose from all parts of
Europe. In France, the departmental assemblies
addressed to the Government of the Emperor the
clearest and strongest wishes in favour of the en-
terprise. In this crusade against the unjustifiable
hostility of a foreign minister, not only did the
councils-general represent the national sentiment,
which, however, was very great, but they nobly
made themselves the champioas of the general
interests of the world and of the superior rights of
civilisation. Assuredly, when assemblies so wise
and so prudent thus pronounce against the policy
of a friendly nation, whose feelings they are very
anxious to respect, the public sentiment must be
very strong here. Let Lord Palmerston judge
thereby the fault he has committed, and the danger
of persisting in it. The chambers of commerce,
whose proceedings are more spirited and less re-
served than the councils-general, do not disguise
their astonishment and their reprobation at the
attitude assumed by Lord Palmerston; they demand
that the French government shall intervene to as-
sure the success of a project of which the execution
will be one of the glories of the century. Thus this
project does not merely excite general sympathy,
it excites enthusiasm, and any obstacle which it
meets with irritates public opinion, the Queen of
the World, which is imposing even in its errors,
and which possesses an incalculable power when
founded on right and justice. Look at what opi-
nion has already done ! This idea, proscribed only
three months ago by a minister who, no doubt,
thought that he was still directing Europe in the
name of the coalition of 1815, had been carried so
high by the public sentiment, and by testimonials
from the entire world, to which that of France has
placed the seal, that it is now in a position to ad. ,
_ _

dress itself directly to the governments themselves,
and to count on their sympathy and their assist-
ance. If, then, Lord Palmerston persists in en-
couraging the hostile attitude of his ambassador
at Constantinople, he may see formed against him
on this question of the Isthmus of Suez a coali-
tion of all France which will no doubt cause his
overthrow, and obtain from the Divan a firman
sanctioning the enterprise. But why should the
English Cabinet persist in policy so false ? Why
should it force friendly and allied Governments to
represent to it that the public wish, so strongly
expressed, does not leave them at liberty to refuse
their support to this enterprise of universal utility?
The opposition to the Suez canal, which wounds
public sentiment even in England, is already van-
quished morally. Let us hope that England will
not persist in a resistance which would be useless
and fatal to her interests more than to any others.
Let her reflect on the indifference with which her
present misfortunes are regarded in the world, and
ask herself if it be well for her to persist in a
haughty and selfish policy which alienates from her
all sympathies! Let her remember that France is
at this moment her safest, most loyal, and most
useful ally ! Let her admit that we abstain from
creating the least embarrassment to her, and that
we faithfully keep to our word as a cordial ally. If
she cedes with good grace in the affair of the
Isthmus of Suez, she will rehabilitate her compro-
mised policy. But if she continue to support to
the last extremity a battle lost in advance, she is
certain to excite in the whole world a general cry
of reprobation and a feeling of irritation which may
produce the most fatal consequences ; she would
thus render difficult the harmony and esteem be-
tween nations, which are so necessary to the main-
tenance of an alliance which, sincerely practised, is
the safeguard of all legitimate interests and the
most powerful guarantee of the progress of civili-
sation."

BANK OF ENGLAND RETURNS.