'"Now that the equality of their levels has been ascertained," he said to
me, "the only mode of obtaining a current is to employ the Nile instead
of the sea." "But can the Nile spare the water?" I asked. "Certainly,"
he answered. "An hour a day of the water from the Nile, even when at its
lowest, would be ample." "And what do the other engineers say?" I asked.
"Randall," he replied, "agrees with me. The others are at present for the
salt water. But we are to meet in time and discuss it thoroughly."'
'It is not the opinion of the engineers,' answered Lafosse, 'that I want,
but that of the politicians.
'We are told that Lord Palmerston threatens to prevent it as long as he
is Minister. This makes us very angry. We think that we perceive in his
opposition his old hatred of France and of everything that France
supports or even favours--feelings which we hoped the Alliance had cured.
'The matter,' he continued, 'was to have been brought before the
Congress. Buol had promised to Nigrelli to do so, and Cavour to Lesseps
and Paleocapa. But after the occupation of Italy, and the Belgian press,
and the rights of Neutrals had been introduced, the Congress got
impatient, and it was thought inexpedient to ask them to attend to
another episodical matter.
Pages:
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182