concession with certain modifications and additions.
Meanwhile the British government, under the influence of Lord
Palmerston, then foreign secretary, endeavoured for various political
reasons to place obstacles in the way of the enterprise, and so far
succeeded in this unworthy attempt as to prevent the sultan from giving
his assent to the concessions made by the viceroy of Egypt. Nothing,
however, could daunt the intrepid promoter, M. de Lesseps. He declared
his motto to be "Pour principe de commencer par avoir de la con-fiance."
Undeterred by intrigues, and finding that his project met with a
favourable reception throughout the Continent of Europe, he determined,
in 1858, to open a subscription which would secure funds for the
undertaking. The capital, according to the statistics of the company,
approved in the firman of the concession, was to consist of forty
million dollars in shares of one hundred dollars each. More than half
of this amount was subscribed for, and eventually, in 1860, Said Pasha
consented to take up the remaining unallotted shares, amounting to more
than twelve million dollars. Disregarding the opposition of the English
government, and ignoring the Sublime Porte, which was influenced by
England, M. de Lesseps began his work in 1859, and on the 25th of April
of that year the work was formally commenced, in the presence of M. de
Lesseps and four directors of the company, by the digging of a small
trench along the projected line of the canal, on the narrow strip of
land between Lake Menzaleh and the Mediterranean. This was followed
by the establishment of working encampments in different parts of the
isthmus.

Although the first steps were thus taken, incredible difficulties
prevented de Lesseps from pushing forward with his work. Towards the
close of 1862 the actual results were only a narrow "rigole" cut from
the Mediterranean to Lake Tinseh, and the extension of the freshwater
canal from Rasel-Wady to the same point. The principal work done in 1863
was the continuation of the fresh-water canal to Suez. At this point a
fresh obstacle arose which threatened to stop the work altogether.
Among the articles of the concession of 1856 was one providing that
four-fifths of the workmen on the canal should be Egyptians. Said Pasha
consented to furnish these workmen by conscription from different parts
of Egypt, and the company agreed to pay them at a rate equal to about
two-thirds less than was given for si