The Author sent to Alexandria—Defences of the Town—Lord Palmerston’s Instructions to Lord Ponsonby—Lord Ponsonby’s dislike to Mehemet Ali—The Author’s Correspondence with Boghos Bey—Interview with the Pacha—His Arsenal—Further Correspondence—Signature of the Convention. The Admiral having thought it necessary to increase the squadron off Alexandria to six sail of the line, I sailed on the 15th November to take the command; the object was to make a powerful demonstration before Alexandria under my pennant, as the Admiral wrote to me. The rest of the squadron, as I have before stated, were to be withdrawn, with the exception of the Benbow. Ibrahim at this time had collected a very strong force at Zachle and Malaka, and I thought it very probable, unless he had decided to abandon Syria altogether, that he would take advantage of the absence of the squadron, and march a strong force on Beyrout. Had he attempted such an enterprise he must have succeeded; Sidon would then have fallen, and probably Acre, for the explosion had blown a great part of the land-face down, and the temporary reparations could not have resisted a powerful force. On the 21st of November I arrived off Alexandria, where I found the Rodney, Revenge, Ganges, Vanguard, and Cambridge, of the line; Carysfort, and Medea, steamer. The latter a few days before had been nearly blown up by the bursting of a shell. Before communicating with the squadron, I ran in and reconnoitred the defences: the sea-face appeared covered with guns, but, with the exception of the Pharo Castle, I saw nothing that could resist a strong naval force; but still any attack without troops would lead to no result, and at this season of the year, even if a force could have been spared, it would not have been prudent to have attempted it. When I joined the squadron I was put in possession of a copy of the following letter from Lord Palmerston to Lord Ponsonby: “London, Oct. 15, 1840. “My Lord,