Accompanied by the Secretary of the Board of Deputies of British Jews and myself, he went to Count Strzelsky, at whose house he met the Hon. Mr Ashley, Sir Culling Eardly, Mr Uzielli, Mr Baxter, Mr Barkley, and Mr Redhouse, and remained in consultation with them for several hours.
April 7th.—He had an interview with Lord Palmerston, of which he gives full particulars in his Diary. To Sir Culling Eardly, who came to him previously to their going to see his Lordship, he said, that "to prevent the possibility of his (Sir Culling) being under any mistake with regard to the object he (Sir Moses) had in view respecting the railway to Jerusalem, it was his opinion that, when finished, it would not induce fifty Jews to return to the Holy Land, but he had no doubt it would greatly conduce to the improvement of their situation; that he would have nothing whatever to do with it if the undertaking was to be regarded as a sectarian measure. "The men we should have for directors," he said to Sir Culling, "must be those whose names are well known for wealth and connected with other railways, but on no account with religious societies."
Sir Culling Eardly, understanding Sir Moses' object, agreed to his views, and they both proceeded to Lord Palmerston. Sir Moses told his Lordship what had been stated before, adding that he had desired Sir Culling Eardly in the first instance to ascertain whether the project had his approval, and if so, whether Lord Palmerston would grant a royal charter limiting the liability of the shareholders to the amount of their subscriptions; also whether he would make an application to the Turkish government for its consent, and a grant of land on each side of the road, or a guarantee of a minimum rate of interest, as might be agreed upon.
Lord Palmerston heard Sir Moses most patiently, and said he considered such a work would be extremely useful to the Turkish Government. It would enable them to move their troops with greater facility, and the country would become more settled; at present, not a month passed but he received accounts from the consuls of outbreaks. It would also increase the commerce of the country, which would improve the revenue of the Porte and the commerce of England. He would have recommended Sir Moses going to Paris to see Ali Pasha, but this morning he had heard from Lord Clarendon that Ali Pasha was coming to England, and Sir Moses would better see him here.
With regard to the Báláklava railway, he hoped Sir Moses would give him a good price for it, though it would be some time before it could be given up; upon which the latter said he hoped his Lordship would make them a present of it.
"It was clear," Sir Moses writes in his Diary, "that Lord Palmerston is very much in favour of the project."
May 20th.—Sir Moses received a note from Sir Culling Eardly, saying that the Grand Vizier, Ali Pasha, would receive the deputation on the following day.
May 21st.—At twelve o'clock he was at Claridge's Hotel to meet the other members of the deputation, Sir Culling Eardly, the Hon. Mr Ashley, Mr Oliphant, and some others. They were with the Grand Vizier for nearly two hours, and he agreed to receive and to forward to Constantinople their proposal for the railway, with either a grant of land, or a guarantee for interest of capital, but not both.
It was arranged they should all meet on Friday to prepare a paper for the Turkish Government.
May 20th.—Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore went to Belvedere House, the beautiful seat of Sir Culling and Lady Eardly, where they found a very large party to meet the Grand Vizier, Ali Pasha, the Turkish Ambassador, Musurus Pasha, the Danish Ambassador and his wife, and many more distinguished persons. After luncheon there were several good speeches respecting the proposed railway.