On March 15th, 1881, the news of the terrible death of Alexander II., Emperor of Russia, gave a great shock to Sir Moses, and he hastened to express deep sympathy with the Russian Ambassador in London and his friends in St Petersburg, recalling the gracious reception given to him by his late Imperial Majesty when in the Russian Metropolis, and deploring the awful calamity.
April 10th.—The dreadful earthquakes in the Island of Chios pressed with peculiar severity upon the poor, and Sir Moses immediately sent £300 to his Excellency Musurus Pasha, with the request to transmit the sum to the Governor of the Island for the relief of the distressed, irrespective of race or creed. Sir Moses availed himself of this opportunity to convey to the Ambassador his sentiments of deep gratitude towards the Government of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan for the protection which the inmates of the Juda Touro Almhouses and the lessee of the windmill had enjoyed. "From the time," he says, "when I laid the foundation stone of those buildings up to the present day there has not been a single complaint made by them, as far as I know, of any unjust act, and I feel the greatest pleasure in congratulating your Excellency on the very satisfactory state of the administration of justice in the Holy Land.
"It is more than twenty years," he continues, "since those almhouses and the windmill were built, and it was said at that time that there could be no security for people living outside the walls of the Holy City, but I always relied on the justice and protection which the Turkish Government so often manifested, and it has now been proved that I was right."
Musurus Pasha in reply says:
"My dear Sir Moses,—Manifold feelings of pleasure were evoked within me by the perusal of your kind letter of yesterday, enclosing a cheque for £300 towards the relief of the sufferers by the earthquake in the Island of Chios, irrespective of race or creed; pleasure at knowing that the noble heart of a friend for whom I have ever felt the highest esteem still responds to the call of suffering humanity; that his spirit of justice still impels him to bear testimony to the tolerance and impartiality shown to his race by my Government and country; that his good wishes are again offered for the welfare of my Sovereign and myself; in a word, that time has not dimmed the feelings or judgment of one whose virtues are known to all.
"I have already sent the cheque to be exchanged for a draft on Constantinople, and, by to-morrow's post, it will be my grateful duty to forward the latter to my Government, with a copy of the letter by which your munificent donation was accompanied.
"I shall also not fail to bring to the knowledge of His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, personally, the feelings which you have expressed towards his person and throne.
"Meanwhile, with best wishes and the highest consideration and respect, I have the honour to be, my dear Sir Moses, yours very sincerely,
(Signed) "Musurus."
April 11th.—He received a letter from the Jews of Safed, Holy Land, enclosing an address to Her Majesty, in which they humbly expressed their gratitude for the protection granted to them by the English Government. On the same day he complied with their wishes, writing to Earl Granville, as follows:—
"My Lord,—I beg leave to hand your Lordship the accompanying letter addressed to Her Majesty, which has been forwarded to me by the representatives of the Jewish community at Safed, Holy Land, with the request to have the same transmitted to your Lordship for Her Majesty's gracious reception.
"The letter expresses their sincere gratitude for the renewal of protection which has recently been granted to them by Her Majesty's Government.
"I still remember with heartfelt thanks the kind sentiments your Lordship was pleased to evince towards me on the occasion of my intended journey to Persia, and hope your Excellency will extend that kindness to me for the sake of my brethren in Safed, by causing their letter to be placed before Her Majesty, for whose long and glorious life they fervently offer up their prayers to Heaven, in which I most sincerely join.—I have the honour to remain, my Lord, your Lordship's most obedient and humble servant,
"Moses Montefiore."