It is interesting to note how British protection for Palestinian Jews, though not formally confirmed, was practically developing. This is the only case in history of Jews enjoying the protection of a great Power without being subjects of that Power. Let us see how this remarkable development took place. In 1838 Lord Palmerston’s directions to his first Consul in _Jerusalem_ were to “_afford protection to the Jews generally_.”¹ The words were simply these, broad and liberal as under the circumstances they had to be, leaving after events to work out their own modification. The instruction, however, seemed to bear on its face a recognition that the Jews there are a nation by themselves, and that contingencies might possibly arise which might alter their relations with the Mohammedans, though it was impossible to foresee the shape that future negotiations would assume after the impending expulsion of the Egyptians from Syria. ¹ Stirring Times, or Records from Jerusalem Consular Chronicles, of 1853 to 1856. By the late James Finn, M.R.A.S.... Vol. i.... London, 1878, _pp._ 106 _ff._ Then came the atrocities of the Passover of 1840 in Damascus, inflicted on the Jews there during the Egyptian régime. A few months later the bombardment of Acre and the restoration of Syria to the Turks took place. The episode of the Egyptian hold upon Syria from 1832 to 1840 came to an end. The Turks were restored at the end of 1840, being then rather more liberal in disposition than they had been before leaving the country, and in the following year the _Sultan_ promulgated the _Hatti ♦Sheerif_ of Gulharch, which conceded equality in theory (but by no means in practice) to all classes of subjects. ♦ “Shereef of Gulgarch” replaced with “Sheerif of Gulharch” for consistency