“February 24. I saw the Pacha last night; he had a very long conversation with the Turkish Minister, who seems to be aware of the impossibility of imposing such terms on the Pacha, and he has sent his steamer to Constantinople for fresh instructions. I do hope they will be more reasonable at Constantinople. I do not think it would have been possible to have concocted a better plan to throw discord and confusion into a country, than the terms they have proposed to him. Egypt is making rapid strides to improvement, and is now beginning to feel the advantages of Mehemet Ali’s system. He is, it is true, an Oriental, and has many mistaken notions; but he must be treated with kindness and consideration.
“A good many Syrians have come into Egypt with the Egyptian army. I have demanded their immediate release; and for the first time, had rather a warm discussion with him on the subject. He promises to send them to their homes; but not till he hears from Constantinople. I regret this, because it will furnish his enemies with weapons against him; but I cannot wonder at his being irritated, because he has not been treated well. He behaved so honourably about the fleet, that he deserved some consideration. Imposing such a heavy tribute on him, will have either the effect of stopping improvement in Egypt, or if he goes on with his public works, he will have to oppress the people, and he was on the point of reducing the poll-tax, when the Hatti Scherif arrived.
| “I have, &c., (Signed) “Charles Napier. |
“To Viscount Palmerston.
“P.S. I have this moment received a letter from Boghos Bey, promising the release of the Syrian troops.”
My last interview with the Pacha was not of a very pleasant nature; for the first time, he neither offered me a pipe, nor took one himself, and was in very ill humour. I pressed him hard about the Syrians, which he evaded; and I told him I should speak to him no more on the subject, but should address an official letter to Boghos Bey; this I did, and he answered, promising their immediate release.
Next morning the Pacha set out for Cairo to see Ibrahim, who, for some reason or other, had declined coming to Alexandria. Seeing that I could be of no further use here, I made up my mind to proceed to join the Powerful in Marmorice Bay, and accordingly paid a parting visit to Boghos Bey. The old man was very civil, and informed me he had orders to present me with a snuff-box set in brilliants. Boghos Bey had before pressed me to receive a large present as a souvenir from the Pacha, which I declined, as being contrary to our rules and regulations; but in this instance he pressed the box, saying it was an Eastern custom, and the grand souvenir should be given at a later period. I replied that I should have had no objection to have taken a small keepsake of little value from the Pacha; but that in my last interview, I did not think he had behaved well, and evaded giving me any answer about the Syrian troops, in which I thought he had not kept his word. I added that he might rely upon it the British Government would insist on the performance of his promise.
I then took leave of Boghos Bey, left Alexandria on the 1st of March, and arrived at Marmorice Bay on the 3rd. I there found orders to proceed to Malta, where I arrived on the 22nd, and was placed in quarantine. The day after my arrival I received a letter from the Commander-in-Chief, which left me in doubt whether the Government had repented their approval of my Convention or not. The letter and answer I insert, together with the Admiral’s further reply:—
“Sir,
“Princess Charlotte, Malta,