I also sent to the Admiral the following letter:
“Sir,
“Powerful, off Acre,
Nov. 7, 1840.
“Lord Ponsonby has inclosed me a speech made by his Lordship to the Sultan on delivering to his Majesty Ibrahim Pacha’s standard, taken by the troops under my command at the battle of Boharsof; it is a mystery to me how that standard fell into Lord Ponsonby’s hands. It was not sent to his Lordship by me who commanded the troops, and General Jochmus, the chief of the staff, declared that the standard had been lost. I have not now the power to officially inquire how this lost standard found its way to Constantinople, but I have to request you will take such steps as you see fit to clear up this mysterious affair. Had an inferior officer in the Duke of Wellington’s army sent a captured standard to the King of Portugal, unknown to the Commander-in-Chief, it may be easily answered what would have been his fate; and I do trust a severe example will be made of the person who committed this extraordinary breach of discipline and decorum, to give it the softest name.
“I have the honour to be, &c.
“Chas. Napier.”
“Admiral Sir Robert Stopford.”
The Ambassador never thought proper to reply to either of my letters, and the only explanation I ever got was from Colonel Hodges, which I subjoin:
“As to the flag, I was the bearer of it to this place. I left Beyrout on Sunday evening. I called on Sir Charles Smith on the afternoon of that day, at his quarters on shore, when he asked me to take charge of despatches, and a flag, that I understood from him had been taken from the 2000 Egyptian troops that had surrendered the day before at Beyrout. This flag, with a parcel of red buntin[buntin] flags, were sent by a sergeant of artillery to my boat, that was waiting to carry me to the Princess Charlotte. When I reached the ship the Admiral was on the quarter-deck; he asked me ‘What that flag was.’ I told him it was one that Sir Charles Smith had requested me to take to Lord Ponsonby. The Admiral replied, ‘It is I who ought to send that flag to Lord Ponsonby to present to the Sultan, and I shall write a despatch with it.’ This is all I know of the transaction.”