“Alexandria, Jan. 30, 1841.
“I have the honour of informing you that, according to the last despatches received from Gaza, almost all the Egyptian army is already assembled in that town; that it is believed there that Ibrahim Pacha will arrive to-day or to-morrow; that although the cavalry regiments are already on their way towards Egypt, the infantry being too much fatigued, it will be desirable on every account to transport it to Egypt by sea, and thus, according to the desire of both parties, to spare the loss of men; but that the English officers who are in authority at Gaza object to the Egyptian troops embarking with their arms, a circumstance which appears inexplicable, it being mentioned in the Convention concluded between you and the Egyptian Government, that the Egyptian troops should be transported to Egypt by sea with their arms and baggage. Seeing, then, this opposition on the part of the English officers, it appears probable that they are not acquainted with the contents of the Convention above-mentioned. You are therefore requested, Commodore, to write to the authorities at Gaza, in order that they may no longer oppose the Egyptian troops embarking with their arms and baggage for Alexandria; to send your letter to His Excellency Abbas Pacha, so that it may reach his address in time; and to have the goodness also to inform me of it, in order that a sufficient number of vessels may be sent to Gaza.
“Receive, Commodore, &c.,
“Boghos Joussouf.”
“To Commodore Napier,
&c., &c., &c.”
In consequence of this application, I wrote the letters to the British and Turkish authorities in Syria already given[[80]], and did everything I could to tranquillize the Pacha’s mind, and assured him that I felt perfectly satisfied Captain Stewart would do all in his power to oblige the Turks to keep faith.
CHAPTER XVI.
Examination of the Conduct of the Allied Ministers at Constantinople—Lord Ponsonby’s Propositions regarding the Hereditary Government of Egypt—Approved[Approved] by the other Allied Ministers, but on consideration rejected by them—Lord Palmerston’s Conversation with the Turkish Minister—Note of the Four Powers in favour of the Hereditary Tenure.
It is now proper to examine a little into the conduct of the Allied Ministers at Constantinople, who, of course, had some influence over the Porte, and exercised it, in framing the Hatti Sheriff reinstating Mehemet Ali in the government of Egypt; and I shall take the Levant Correspondence to guide me in my criticism; for although a great deal of that is no doubt suppressed, there still remains enough to form an opinion on the wisdom of the Allied Ministers.