The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-12-08

positions elsewhere He was consul at
Barcelona in 1919 when that city was bonn
barded, and was Jealous in the protection
Of the lives and property of French citi-
zens and afforded an asylum to Spaniards
on board the vessels of the French fleet.
In 1913 M. de Lessops was appointed
French minister to Madrid, but was sue
ceeded by Prince Napoleon Joseph Bona
parte in about year. The former was
then appointed minister to Switzerland,
but soon after was sent on an important
diplomatic mission to Italy.
Comte de Lesscps was among the frs
to urge the expediency of constructing a
canal across the IsthInus of Suez, connect
ing the Mediterranean with the Red sea.
After unremitting effort for many years
he obtained firman from Said Pasha in
1851, and enlisting French and English
capitalists undertook the work. which was
vigorously prosecuted to completion de-
spite many obstacles that would have dis
Outraged a less resolute man. Decorations
were showered upon him by nearly every
sovereign Of Europe and honors were con-
fcrrcd upon him by learned societies in all
parts of the world.
Turning his attention to the new world,
NJ. de Lesseps undertook the construction
of n canal across the Isthmus of Panama.
The original capital of the company, $780,
100000 francs, was exhausted when the
subscribers refused to advan ce more money
and the enterprise was abandoned. De
Lesseps private fortune was also absorbed
in the undertaking, and he was loft conf
paratiyely poor. He continued his efforts
to procure means with which to prosecute
the work, but capital was timid, and he
was unable to procure the necessary assist
ance.
Then came the report of fraud in connec-
ton with the Panama canal loan and lot
terry schemes. At first but a murmur, it.
became a rumble which developed into a
roar when Deroulede committed suicide
and the damning revelations against prom
inent Frenchmen were published. The
storm shivered honored names and toree x-
allied regulations to tatters in its fury De
Lesseps and his son and three others were
found guilty of fraudulent proceedings
and were sentenced on Feb. o, 1893, the
elder De Lesseps being heavily fined and
condemned to five years imprisonment.
No attempt was made in his case, however,
to execute the sentence, which was finally
set aside by the court of cessation,
1t is doubtful whether the old man ever
realized the calamity and the disgrace that
had overtaken HIN When he was put
under arrest at his home he had apparently
some vague idea Of impending menace to
his reputation, and he put on his orders
and his star of the Legion of Honor before
receiving the officers of the law. He was
not molested further, and never knew that
he had been tried, convicted and sentenced
to five years imprisonment. Even the
fact of his sons sentence was mereifully
kept from him, and he was permitted to
die in peace. For many months before his
death his memory was u blank, and 1t was
only at rare intervals that there was any
fash of intelligence in the brain that had
once been so active.
In February last Comte de Lesseps re-
signed the presidency of the Suez Canal
company, and was made honorary presi-
dent. An effort was made to have him
expelled from the Legion Of Honor, but it
was finally abandoned, and to millions of
Frenchmen he remained lie Grand Fran
cais'' to the day of his DEATH