Footnote 48: Probably the princess known as "Chica," afterwards Princesse de Joinville.
The King of the Belgians to Queen Victoria.
SYRIAN AFFAIRS
St Cloud, 26th July 1839.
... Everything is pretty quiet, and the grâce accordée à Barbès49 has put down the rage against the King personally, at least for some little time. The affairs of the Orient interest a good deal. I think that it is better the Porte should be on a favourable footing with Mehemet Ali than if that gentleman had pushed on in arms, as it will put the casus foederis out of the question, and the Turks will not call in the assistance of the Russians. Whoever pushed the late Sultan into this war has done an act of great folly, as it could only bring the Porte into jeopardy.
Footnote 49: Armand Barbès, the leader of a fatal riot in Paris, was sentenced to death, a sentence afterwards remitted.
Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria.
3rd August 1839.
Lord Melbourne will wait upon your Majesty at a quarter before five, if possible, but there is much to discuss at the Cabinet. The Caspian Pasha has taken the Turkish fleet to Alexandria,50 and Mehemet Ali says that he will not give it up to the Sultan until he dismisses the Grand Vizier, and acknowledges the hereditary right of the Pasha to the countries which he at present governs. This is to make the Sultan his subject and his vassal.
The accounts from Birmingham are by no means good.51 There has been no disturbance of the peace, but the general disposition is both violent and determined.