ISMAIL IN HIS GRANDEUR.

75 engineering, and political economy. I doubt if any very careful record was kept either of the names or numbers of those who accepted the invitations ; but most assuredly there were some thousands of more or less well-known visitors who arrived in Egypt, bearers of cards of invitation. Amongst the category of the less well-known, I myself was one. Nothing could be more generous than the arrangements made for the entertainment of the visitors.

The recipient of an invitation was entitled to a\ gratuitous passage from Europe to Alexandria or 1 Port Said and back, to board and lodging during / his sojourn in Egypt, to free passes on the rail- / roads, and to admission to all the functions connected [ with the opening of the Canal. The Egyptian \ officials had instructions to show every attention to [ ,-.',< the visitors. Carriages, donkeys, and dragomen were I -'V i provided without charge for any guest who took the 1 \' trouble to apply to the Master of the ceremonies. \ No bills were presented, no vouchers were required, and it is not too much to say that any one of the Khedive's visitors might have spent two months in / Egypt without ever needing to put his hand in his pocket for anything except personal expenses, such as baths and washing, and even these expenses were refunded with alacrity if, as often happened, any visitor applied for their repayment. The invitations were issued in the name of the Suez Canal Company, and therefore the majority of the guests were naturally French. But there was no favour shown