Lord Palmerston to Lady Hester Stanhope.
Foreign Office, April 25, 1838.
Madam,
I am commanded by the Queen to acquaint you that I have laid before her Majesty your letter of the 12th of February, of this year.
It has been my duty to explain to her Majesty the circumstances which may be supposed to have led to your writing that letter; and I have now to state to your ladyship that any communications which have been made to you on the matters to which your letter refers, either through the friends of your family or through her Majesty’s agent and consul-general at Alexandria, have been suggested by nothing but a desire to save your ladyship from the embarrassments which might arise, if the parties who have claims upon you were to call upon the consul-general to act according to the strict line of his duty, under the capitulations between Great Britain and the Porte.
I have the honour to be, madam, your ladyship’s most obedient humble servant,
Palmerston.
Lady Hester Stanhope to Lord Palmerston.
Jôon, Mount Lebanon, July 1, 1838.