New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-08


WITHDRAWAL FROM DIPLOMACY
IncuIrins the suspicious of the rulers OF 1s4s
he was ordered to return to Paris. but was i'm
mcdiately sent back to Spain by Lamartine,
who commissioned him as Minister to Madrid.
in the following year he d!spa tched TO Rome.
charged with the delicate task of restoring order
in the Papal dominions. and preventing Liberal
excuses from interfering with the establish
nent of a regular government.
Through the duplicity of Louis Napoleon, the
PRESIDENT. MS mission failure This in
cdent brought to a close the diplomatic career
or Ferdinand de Lesseps, and left him at leisure
to pursue scientific investigations and to ac-
compish an international work of worldwide
utility The idea Of cutting the Suez Canal had
already fascinated his maginati ton and taken
possession Of his mind. His attention had been
directed to Il by fortuitOus circumstance In
one of his frequent voyages to Egypt his ship
was quarantned on Alexandria. He had sent
ashore to the Consulate for some reading matter
with which to while away the time. Among
other public documents which hastily coll
lected for him was the report of Lepere, the engi
neer relative to the adoption of some means of
rapid transportation across the Isthmus Of Suez.
He had read il carefully during the enforced de-
lay at quarantine and during his subsequent
sojourn in Egypt he had devoted much time and
attention TO the subject. His retirement from
the diplomatic service enabled him to resume
quiet in agricultural pursuits in the province of
Berri he worked out his Eastern problem during
the long evenings.
When Abbas Pacha died. in 1854 and the
friend Of his youth, Mohammed Said. was
proclaimed Viceroy of Egypt, Ferdinand de
Lesseps embarked for Alexandria TO offer him
congratulations. Albert Pnard describes him
as carrying the SueZ Canal IN his travelling
satchel his confidence in the undertaking no
less mistaken than when fifteen years after
ward il became accomplished fact. The new
Viceroy welcomed the traveller most cordially.
Not long afterward the enthusiastic French
man unfolded his plan to the sovereign. The
act of concession was granted by the Nlceroy
on November 80 1854. NJ. de Lesscps. returning
to Paris recruited an international commission
and conducted it to Egypt. The experts We're
received by the Niceroy like soveregns.
special investigation OF the Isthmus was con-
Quoted and the plan of a direct waterway
without locks by way of the Bitter Lakes was
adopted. The Viceroy provided for the pre-
liminary expenses by drawing upon his private
account. The great enterprise was launched
stormy sea exposed TO adverse winds or
foreign criticism
The Suez Canal can be described in few
brief sentences. 1t is about 100 miles long and
| passes through low. sandy plain separating
the Mediterranean from the Red Sea. by con
| slant dredging average depth of twenty-slX
feet Of water is maintained and ships pass IN
| and out at either end without the operation Of
| locks With equal brevity the construction
| Of the canal may be summarized The COM
| pany was formed in 1855 with a nominal cap
| ital of $50 COO 900 Work begun in 1853 and
suspended in 1863. owing to the death Of the
| Niccroy and the opposition OF his successor
Napoleon III was induced to modify his hos
| tity TO NJ. de Lesseps, and the canal was
| opened with imposing ceremonies by the En-
| press on November IL. 1863. the year during
which the Union and Central Pacific railroads
were connected at Promontory. utah Being "A
! kinsman OF the Empress. NJ. de Lesseps com
| manded her sympathy and support in the clos
! ing stages of his enterprise. and II was largely
! through her assistance and patronage that ne
was enabled carry II 10 "A successful CON
| cluson. When finished. the canal was imam
| cial success almost from the outset. Its busi-
ness has steadily increased. until the tonnage
averages 100000 year and DIVIDENDS l"
shareholders have been at the rate Of ], per
cent. and even higher The completion OF the
! canal revolutiOnized European trade with the
East and converted Cairo into the geographical
centre Of the British Empire In. 1919 Lord
! Beaconsheld. for the British Government, pur-
| chased the Khedive's shares. amounting TO
two-ffths OF the original stock. English occu-
patton Of Egypt followed IN que tiihe ana ~
| maintained under various pretexts TO the pres
ent time.
ONE MAN AGAINST EUROPE.
Such is an eptome Of this great work brought
within the compass OF a short paragraph. But
| how meagre is the tribute to the genius OF the
| man who planned and executed II. From 1854
to 1869 1t NJ de Lesseps alone who made
| that work possible During that period he was
ubiquitous and unconquerable. He appeared
successfully in Cairo. Constantinople. Paris.
| London. Vienna and Berlin, always confident OF
| success. never daunted by encouragement or
| delay. and commanding admiration for ms re-
| sources of patience and tact no less than Tor
| his infexible will. The Sultan and England bit
terly opposed the enterprise. and the engineers
| and financiers Of Europe pronounced IL lInp9s-
| sible After four years OF intrigue ana dIpio-
| macy he presented his calculations OF inter
| oceanic trade and his engineering plans TO the
! lucid intelligence OF French investors. WIN
| amazing facility he obtained $fOOOO0o. Eng
| land dismayed by his financial resources, men
| sced the Khedive with deposition and induced
! the Sultan to send an order 10 Egypt suspend
| ing all operations on the canal TOT a FORTNIGHT
An army Of laborcrs was awaiting the slghal Ipi
| active work on the canal at this crisis. The
| wary diplomatist, who had won over the I'm
| r,ress TO his cause called upon the Emperor 10
Ia.
| NJ de Iesseps" asked the Emperor. 'thdt ;,
great a part Of the world Is against you
sire" the response II ~ 'houth' ma
Your Majesty is not with me. FROM ,'idt NJ
meni the Emperor with him WORK on III,
canal which had been blocked by England ana
the Sultan. was begun In earnest ,,.
The original capital Of $iOOOO.OOD was oDtaiie'
In a single month during 1858. This suiiiced ioi
the canal work until 1868, when fresh loans "e ,
negotiated. The original cost was DIV p ,bo ' sni
obstruction offered by England ana by the s up
s,itution OF costly machinery for forced haIs'
labor The total cost Of construction was s9o,
600 900 approximately the hrst est'ihat'" ia h
heen greatly exceeded. The prevalence on choi
ora in 1865 reta rded the work Inc deh'h .
Mohammed Said brought England again up,,,,
the scene. and produced an aiaIai'ns e,'s ,,, y"
| de I,esseps's company was IN lhhiHel' Pp'i,
| hcInp dispossessed OF It's property by Minis'e
of the Sultan. acting in the ihterest ~ "a a.
Sultan. with the connivanca 0i tne ira" r,n
Merry the favorte Of the Tuileries. Iht I'm
reror took charge Of the negotiations arrange
An arbitration Of various questions "a, issuc 'i h
| obtained an indemnity Of $16.s0o,ooo from w
govnt,.n Government for annulment OF contrac
and other violations Of the original stipui'.iois
This was almost the last battle OF inc ' ,aco
paign Of fifteen years. On NoVenper 49, 49, aoU,
,ha great work was formally opened 10 the CON
,nerce of the world" in the presence OF nm .m
xhediye the Empress OF the fIehch' w, wy ~ ,r
aror ~ Austria and the Crown Prince OF fius
p' Pc The distance between Europe and lndia ha'
been shortened 1000 miles. .,a oo,,,o.,o
Th. whole world united in honorng the ACME,
roants OF Ferdinand de Lesseps. He was WEI
-x.od IN Pars like cODquerOr, anu an III