Ferdinand De Lesseps, viscount, a French diplomatist, born in Versailles, Nov. 19, 1805. In 1825 he was attached to the French consulate at Lisbon, and in 1828 to that in Tunis. After the taking of Algiers he was charged with securing the submission of the bey of Constantine, and in 1831 he went to Egypt, where at three different times he was temporary consul general at Alexandria. He obtained from Ibrahim Pasha, during the occupation of Syria by the latter, protection for the Christians there, and did much toward reestablishing peace between Mehemet Ali and the sultan. He was appointed consul at Malaga in 1839, and at Barcelona in 1842. During the bombardment of the latter city by Espar-tero in the same year, he rendered great service to sufferers of all nations. He frequently exposed his life during the fighting to save the lives of others; his energetic remonstrances postponed the bombardment for several days, and when it took place he hired vessels and personally superintended the removal of fugitives. For this he received decorations from the governments of France, Sardinia, the Two Sicilies, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Spain; the chamber of commerce at Marseilles sent him a complimentary address, while that of Barcelona placed his bust in its hall.

After the revolution of 1848 he was recalled to Paris, but soon went to Madrid as minister (April 10, 1848). Having been displaced in favor of Prince Napoleon Joseph Bonaparte, Feb. 10, 1849, he was appointed to Switzerland, but was sent in May to Italy, where he was expected to fulfil in concert with MM. d'Harcourt and de Rayneval the delicate task of restoring order in the papal dominions, and preventing liberal excesses from interfering with the establishment of a regular government. His instructions, it is asserted, were far from explicit; but the liberalism which he evinced in stipulating that the Roman people should be free to choose their own government was not agreeable to the authorities at home, and he was recalled in June. In a report from the council of state he was severely blamed, but he defended himself with great ability. In October, 1854, he went to Egypt on the invitation of the new viceroy Said Pasha. Here he thoroughly examined the project of the canal across the isthmus of Suez, and drew up a memorial on the subject, entitled Percement de l'istlime de Suez, expose et documents officiels (1856; 2d ed., 1858), giving full details of the enterprise.

The viceroy granted him a charter for 99 years (Nov. 30, 1854; confirmed Jan. 5, 1856) for the establishment of a stock company for the execution of the canal, to be called compagnie universelle du canal maritime de Suez. (See Canal.) De Lesseps gave himself up entirely to the project, and by the force of energy and perseverance raised the necessary capital, and began the work in 1859. He was beset by many difficulties. Eminent English engineers, among them Robert Stephenson, questioned its practicability; the British government regarded it as a political project, and refused to give it encouragement; and various complications arose with both the Turkish and Egyptian governments. But De Lesseps triumphed over all, and on Aug. 15, 1869, had the satisfaction of seeing the waters of the Red sea and the Mediterranean mingled in the Bitter lakes. The canal was formally opened on Nov. 17, with grand ceremonies, in the presence of the empress of the French, the emperor of Austria, the crown prince of Prussia, Prince Amadeus of Italy. Prince William of Orange, and many other distinguished personages, who were entertained with magnificent hospitality by the khedive.

De Lesseps has been decorated by almost all the sovereigns of Europe. In February, 1870, the Paris geographical society awarded him the empress's prize of 10,000 francs, and in July following the honorary freedom of the city of London was presented to him. Since the completion of the Suez canal, he has suggested the conversion of the desert of Sahara into an inland sea, and the cutting of a ship canal through the isthmus of Corinth to connect the gulfs of Lepanto and Egina. In 1874 he proposed a central Asian railway to unite directly the south of Europe with India. The project is not relished by some of the Anglo-Indian politicians, who wish to keep any overland railway out of the reach of Russian territory and Russian influence. But the British authorities are not unfavorable to the scheme; and De Lesseps visited British India to confer on the subject with the local authorities, who appointed a committee to take his project into consideration.