New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-19
l, THE BEGINNING or DE LESSEPSs LUCK
From The Pal Nal Guzeste.


The Empress was the Isabella the Catholic OF the
Suez scheme But for the Spanish ardor with.
which she sustained it, the lsthmus would still
divide the Red from the Mediterranean Sea-.
Your head" she said speaking OF scourse IN q
6gure to COmte Walewsa depends ON the skill
you show in helping my cousin TO cut MS canal,
N de Lesseps's father who was descended from
tine architect of the Cathedral OF Edinburgh was
sent with Lucien Bonaparte TO Madrid, because no
had been brought up nc bayonne and colld talk
SPANISH as well as French Lncien was the first
Ambassador named 70 the Court Of Charles ~. by
NAPOLEON. His mission was TO obtain the retro
cession OF Louisiana, which Louis XIV. had allowed
to slip from his hands. NJ. de Lesseps the elder
went about always with him, and was the soul or
his diplomacy The New-OrleaDs affair brought
him into relations with the United states consuIs,
the most intelligent of whom was Mr.. kirkpatrick.
who was III business at Malaga. III. de Lesseps
patrick. who, like himself was OF scotch origin
but less remotely-srldcd the resources or Anda-
llsa and the political condition or the south OF
Spain. They were drawn closer together ny
romantic affair which sprang up. notable OF tho
province, Senior Greylgny, had two very pretty
daughters with of whom the consul He'll in
love The French diplomat became enamOredof tho
youngest and as Luclen BOnaparte was IN high
favor at the Court oil Madrid her father allowed
her 10 marry NJ. de Lessons, with whom she went
TO reside Paris, where, in lcO4, she gave birth 10
Fer linand Her eldest sister became Mrs Kirk
patrick, and the mother of the Comtesse do Mon
tito, who was drawn by her DE Lesseps kindred To
winter IN Paris when her daughters mad grown nD-
Thus you see.' observed VI. dc Lesseps. what
number of great events have in PerchGiRsReat les
Of the Spanish tongue
Another hinge event" which led TO the execu-
ton Of the Suez Canal scheme was the elder Les
seps having OWNED in poor and unlertered Turk
ish officer, Mehemet All, vast genius aud the man
vino was 10 break down the power OF the Name
lukes. The French diplomat. reported in this sense
to his Government and was instructed 10 | guidet
by his own Judgment IN bringing the officer tor
ward N. de Lesseps invited the Turk 20 his house,
and showed himself in various ways his friend
But suddenly the officer withdrew from his COM
pany and kept out OF the way. When Mehrmet
was a great man he said 10 VI. Ferdinand tie Les
seps "Your father must have been puzzled TO
think what my reason was for keeping aooi from
him after | had accepted mnch Kindness. Ia
was this A silver knife and fork, heard the SER
wants saw, had been stolen from his table at din-
ner tn which went. was poor that fancied
would pass in HIS eyes tor being the thief, and
never dared after 10 return" Soon after Mehemet
had related this anecdote he asked ". Ferdinand do
Lesseps to allow Prince Said, his son, 70 pass his
afternoons NJ the French Consulate in order that
he might pick up the French that was spoken
there The boy grew fondly attached 30 the rntel-
ligent and very kind-hearted diplomat. When he
was Viceroy and the Suez concession askel Cor,
he gave III. dc Lesseps . carte bloscAe.