Show control of suez canal when ferdinand ferdinan d de lesseps in 1858 1958 formed a company to build a ship canal about half the shares were taken in france one fourth in egypt and very few in england the canal was opened in 1809 difficulties had arisen during its construction and the khedive of egypt had made a bis big loan to the promoters and subscribed for nearly half the stock in 1875 his shares were offered for sale and through the foresight of disraeli these were purchased by the british government which thereby became the biggest shareholder the company corpany la Is predominantly french though the french government owns no shares |