[63].
Guarantee by Menikli Pacha, and the other Chief Officers of
the Egyptian Army, at present encamped near Gaza.
Gaza, January 28, 1841.
We, the Undersigned, being assembled in council with Commodore Houston Stewart, Royal British Navy, and Lieutenant-Colonel Alderson, Royal Engineers, after the discussion which has taken place, have pledged ourselves, that his Highness Ibrahim Pacha will, on his arrival at Gaza, execute the orders of his Highness Mehemet Ali, the Viceroy of Egypt, for the evacuation of Syria, and that he will not make any movement whatever against those orders; for all of which we give our signatures and affix our seals.
(Signed) Ahmed Menikli, Gen. of Division; Kourchid, Gen. of Division; Selim, Gen. of Division; Ahmed Dramaly, Gen. of Division; Ishmael, Gen. of Brigade; Ibrahim, Gen. of Brigade; Mahmoud Bey, Capt. Navy.
Captain Houston Stewart and Lieutenant-Colonel Alderson to Menikli Ahmed Pacha and the other Chief Officers of the Egyptian Army at present encamped near Gaza.
Gaza, January 28, 1841.
In consequence of the written guarantee which you have now given us, making yourself responsible that his Excellency Ibrahim Pacha, as well as yourselves, will implicitly obey, and forthwith carry into effect with perfect good faith, the orders of his Excellency Mehemet Ali Pacha for the evacuation of Syria by the whole of the Egyptian army: We, Houston Stewart, Captain of Her Britannic Majesty’s ship Benbow, and Senior Naval Officer on the coast of Syria, and Lieutenant-Colonel Ralph Carr Alderson, Royal Engineers, representing here the united forces of Great Britain, do pledge ourselves that no molestation nor any obstacle be put in the way of such evacuation, and that you are perfectly safe in diminishing your forces here as fast as possible; and, further, that provided you continue to make that diminution to the satisfaction of the said Lieutenant-Colonel Alderson, we promise to insist with his Excellency the Seraskier, Zacharias Pacha, Commanding-in-Chief the Ottoman forces, that no advance shall be made by the Turkish troops now at Megdill, nor Governor be sent to Gaza, until Colonel Alderson shall have reported the evacuation complete; and we promise, that if the Turkish authorities refuse to ratify and accept any one of these conditions, we will immediately, and in perfect honourable faith, give you notice thereof.