* * * * * “The Pacha they have sent here is the greatest —— on earth; the appointments to the different posts are given without judgment, and I believe, are bought right and left. The inhabitants are ill-treated by the Turks, and begin to ask what they are to gain by the change. The Pacha countenances all sorts of intrigues against the new Grand Prince, who is left for days without provisions, and his men are forced to go to their houses; and I verily believe he is in the pay of the old Prince and his family, who are very rich, and are trying to regain their places. I go into the mountains occasionally, where I have great influence, and they all tell me this. Had I been Commander-in-Chief, at my own risk and my own responsibility, I would have shipped old Izzet Pacha of to Constantinople, which would at once have shown a determination that oppression should not go on. I have written to Lord Ponsonby, who has promised to have him removed, but if it is not done speedily, it will be too late. “The taking of Acre has had the same effect in the south. The garrison of Jaffa has marched to Acre, and a body of Naplouses have come in from the mountains. Five hundred irregular cavalry have marched in from Marash. A vigorous attack on Zachle would finish the war which was so happily begun. I hope the Admiral will not leave the coast: the anchorage in St. George’s Bay is quite open, but the holding-ground is good, and country vessels lay there all winter, therefore there can be no reason why a fleet should not lay there. It never blows home. “The Austrian squadron is to remain, and I hope ours will remain too. I am to have six sail of the line off Alexandria. If I get them out, I hope to give a good account of them. Blockading is of no use, particularly when you have not the power to stop neutrals. One or two ships there, to give notice if they come out, would be quite sufficient, and the fleet, if they did come out, never would get back again. I most sincerely think the best thing to do would be to leave Mehemet Ali in Egypt; he will govern it better than a Turkish Pacha. Let him withdraw from Syria, give up the whole of the fleet as a counter-balance for the expense of the war, and pay the Syrians for the damage he has done them; this would be clipping his wings, and punishing him with sufficient severity. He is an old man, and it is hardly worth while to risk a European war to turn him out. I wish Lord Palmerston would make me a negotiator with six sail of the line under my orders; I think it is most likely this affair of the East would be soon finished. “I have the honour to be, &c., “CHARLES NAPIER.” “To the Right Hon. Lord Minto.” CHAPTER XIX.