While in the interests of his canal Lesseps resisted the opposition of British diplomacy to an enterprise which threatened to give France control of the shortest route to India, he acted loyally towards Great Britain after Disraeli acquired the Suez shares belonging to the Khedive, by admitting to the board of directors of the company three representatives of the British government. The consolidation of interests which resulted, and which was strengthened by the addition in 1884 of seven more British directors, chosen from among shipping merchants and business men, increased, for the benefit of all concerned, the commercial character of the enterprise.