“My dear Admiral,
“Powerful, October 5, 1840.
“I inclose you a letter[[15]] I wrote last night to the prince, and his answer. I am now going off to concert measures with him. If he is prepared to come down the left bank of Dog River we shall then cross over, but were we to do it without him to clear the mountains, we should expose our right to be turned by Souliman Pacha. All this our good Pacha on shore does not think of. I am glad he is going with Walker Bey; the fact is, he is afraid to stay here when we attack Beyrout, for fear the enemy should come in upon our camp, which I shall take care they do not do.
“I send off the Princess Charlotte’s marines, and am glad you are going; the effect will be good. The marines of the other two ships shall be kept in readiness to go in Stromboli, but with your permission I will not embark them till after my interview with the prince, who is a trump. Permit me, my dear Admiral, to congratulate you on our unexampled success; all we have now to do is to act with great judgment, accompanied by dash when a favourable opportunity offers.
“I find last night, notwithstanding all that has been said to the Pacha, he sent one battalion to the mountains, where they were useless, and withdrew another from a very important pass, without either myself or Jochmus knowing one word about it; so much for Turkish tactics.
“With your permission I will keep the Austrian rockets also till after I have seen the prince. I shall have a long ride, but I find personal interviews and examining the country one’s-self, preferable to correspondence, which is always uncertain here.
“Believe me your’s, &c.,
“Charles Napier.”
“Admiral Sir R. Stopford, G.C.B.”
Emir Bechir Cassim’s Letter.