Letter from Commodore Napier to Lieut.-Col.
Hodges.
My dear Hodges,
H.M.S. Powerful, Beyrout,
July 15, 1840.
I received your letter and postscript of the 10th and 13th of July, and I think you are as cautious a diplomatist as if you had been at it for the last twenty years; you do not make a single remark upon what my opinions were relative to this expedition of Mehemet Ali. I do not feel that there is any responsibility on me whatever; I am positively forbid to meddle with anything that Mehemet Ali may do, as long as he lets alone British persons and property; and however I disapprove of this, I can only obey.
The Pacha’s troops marched out yesterday morning, and although they met with no resistance, they set the whole country in a blaze, convents and all. I wrote a very strong letter to the Egyptian Admiral, which I begged him to communicate to Abbas Pacha, a copy of which accompanies this. Mr. Wood was sent here by Lord Ponsonby, and he came off a few days ago, bringing petitions from the poor Mountaineers to the Sultan and the French and English Ambassadors; he landed again early this morning, and brings off news that the insurgents are divided amongst themselves, have been abandoned by many of their chiefs, are badly armed, and, by all I can collect, unless they are succoured with arms and ammunition, the insurrection will be put down very shortly, and thus will finish all hope of Syria being released from the power of Mehemet Ali, by the efforts of the inhabitants themselves, and the question will become more complicated than ever; all of which might have been avoided, had the Admiral had instructions how to act, or had he taken upon himself, which I feel assured would have been approved of by our Government at home. I am surprised the mission of Mr. Wood has not been notified to you, as he certainly was sent here by Lord Ponsonby, and I have the Admiral’s order to facilitate him, and even to send the Cyclops back when he has any particular communication to make.
Should Mehemet Ali come this way, the shortest way of putting an end to all doubts would be to seize him. I do not say I am prepared for so bold a step, but if I see much cruelty and devastation going on, I don’t know whether I should not be very much disposed to do it, unless he came accompanied by such a force as would render the success doubtful; but I have no idea that he will come, because I believe all will be settled without him, and you will find that the strength of the insurgents has been very much magnified. You seem to think that Mehemet Ali is on his last legs, but I think this will strengthen him very much; he is evidently backed up by the French, that is clear by the language held by all the French officers, and we have Thiers’ speech, which is plain enough. You say, if we act with vigour and determination, we shall carry through Lord Palmerston’s policy without the aid of any foreign power; but, my good friend, the opportunity is lost, his troops are landed and his squadron by this time is in Alexandria, and I do not see now where our vigour and determination can be applied.
July 20.—It was only yesterday I could get anything positive about the Egyptians. Our Consul knows nothing, and he will believe nothing against the Syrians, but a Frenchman has read me a letter from Souliman Pacha, saying the insurrection was put down; and another from his secretary, detailing the whole of their operations. It appears they marched as far as Hammana, about eight hours from here, and met less than a couple of hundred of the insurgents, whom the Albanians disposed of, and the Emir Bechir sent to desire them to submit, and give up their arms, which many of them have done. I was not satisfied with this, and last night I went down in the Cyclops, and sent on shore at Zouk and Jebel, when they informed me that the son of Emir Bechir had been there and told them. It is a pity you had not a vessel to have sent earlier information, but even that would have made no difference, as nothing would have been done; it serves them right for their behaviour to me, and I hope you will tell Lord Palmerston so. I shall keep this open till the last moment.
July 21.—The Indian mail is just arrived; I have no more news. I wish you could come this way, for I fear there is no chance of my going to Alexandria; I shall, however write to the Admiral by the Austrian steamer, which I expect hourly.