THE SUEZ CANAL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 12 January 1926, Page 3

THE SUEZ CANAL

The success of Disraeli's purchase of 176.602 shares m Hie Suez Canal Company fur the British Government was noted in many English papers on the jubilee uf the purchase. November 25 last. The shares were purchased from the then Khedive of Egypt, Ismail Ritslia. lather of the reigning King, and Queen Victoria, on hearing that everything wits settled, wrote to her I’ritne .Minister: “This is indeed it great and important event, which, when known, will, the Queen fuels sure, be most popular in the country. The great sum is the only disadvantage.” But the Queen's obvious fear that the payment of the “great sum” of £4,080,000 might not he justified proved groundless. The present market value of the shares exceeds their cost U; the Treasury by more than 400 per cent., and tin; British Government has long drawn a substantial revenue front its holding. Nor, says the T hues, did Egypt lose politically by Disraeli's action, in so far as it helped to bring about that close, if long informal, connection between Egypt and the British Empire, which, even under the modified circumstances <«f to day. is profitable and beneficial to hutli. The vision of Disraeli. wlm in another 'region of the Orient foresaw the coming greatness of .lap,'tit. has been abundantly ptslilicd by history, lie backed his beiicf lhat the Canal was of essential interest to our Imperial communications, and recent years have proved it better founded than ever.