Page:The Siege of London - Posteritas - 1885.djvu/37

 While the British Government was trying to wriggle out of the difficulty they themselves had created, matters were fast approaching a crisis, and the very thing the French had expressed fears about occurred. Some three or four thousand Egyptian fellaheen, driven to desperation by famine, as it was said at the time, but as has since been proved really incited by French agents, rose in revolt and and attempted to injure the Suez Canal. The French immediately announced their intention of sending two men of war to each end of the Canal, and of landing a force of blue-jackets at Ismaila. But England opposed this and sent some of her own ships. This move in-the diplomatic game was a fatal one for England, and it exasperated France into a white heat of passion. Monster public meetings were held in Paris to protest against the "high-handed proceeding" of England, and to call upon the French Government to make it a. Enthusiasm rose to a tremendous pitch, and from one end of France to the other the cry resounded of "à bas Londres! à bas Londres!" Yielding to this public spirit of hatred for their hereditary enemy, and which had never displayed itself so forcibly since the days of the first Napoleon, the French Government demanded the withdrawal of the English ships or the right to send French ships. As neither demand was complied with, an Ultimatum was presented, giving seven days for the terms to be accepted; but, as the British Ministry did not condescend to even send a polite refusal to this Ultimatum, France declared war.