“Commodore,
“Alexandria, Jan. 10, 1841.
“The object of the letter which I have the honour to address to you, is to recapitulate, according to the desire which you have expressed to me, the words which you heard from the mouth of the Viceroy, my master, himself, in your conversation yesterday evening.
“The delay which has occurred in the evacuation of Syria is not dependent on the will of his Highness. In consequence of the Convention concluded with you on the 27th of November last, Hamid Bey was sent to Syria, to carry the Viceroy’s orders to Ibrahim Pacha. You know, Commodore, the reasons which hindered that superior officer from fulfilling his mission, and you are acquainted with the nature of the obstacles which prevented the despatches of his Highness from reaching their destination.
“The Viceroy, always desirous to give you a fresh proof of his readiness to fulfil his engagements, proposes to dispatch a steam-vessel this very day to take back to Syria Hamid Bey, who will be charged, in conjunction with the English officer appointed by you, to deliver the orders to the General-in-Chief of Egyptian army. As soon as Ibrahim Pacha shall be made acquainted with them, he will immediately effect the evacuation of Syria, despatching, if it is in his power to do so, the women, children, and sick, towards Caiffa, and marching himself towards Egypt, should he not be already in motion with his army to effect his retreat in that direction. Immediately on our being made acquainted, by the return of Hamid Bey, with the measures taken by Ibrahim Pacha in execution of the orders of his Highness, and as soon as we shall have acquired the certainty that the sick, women, and children, belonging to the Egyptian army have been able to proceed to Caiffa, his Highness will send transports to that port to secure their return to Egypt.
“With respect to the Ottoman fleet, I can only confirm what I had formerly the honour of writing to you, Commodore; it is ready to put to sea.
“Such is the substance of the terms in which the Viceroy expressed himself to you, Commodore. His Highness, in thus giving you a fresh proof of his deference to the decisions of the Allied Powers, is convinced that they will hasten the execution of the Treaty of the 15th of July, by obtaining in his favour the hereditary government of Egypt; and that they will show their intention of securing the pacification of the East, by placing it on an imperishable foundation.”
The Egyptian steamer Generoso started on the second day after my arrival, with one of the Pacha’s officers and Lieutenant Loring, to whom I gave the following instructions:—
“Sir,
“H.M.S. Carysfort,