“General Souliman Pacha has the honour to present his compliments to the Admirals of the English and Austrian squadrons, and to inform them, that not being acquainted with the language, it is impossible for him to return an answer unless the Admirals will be good enough to translate their communication into French, Turkish, or Arabic. “(Signed) SOULIMAN.” “To the Admirals commanding the English and Austrian squadrons before Beyrout.” I should have thought that the Egyptian general could have found some one in Beyrout to have translated the summons, and it did appear that he treated the admirals rather cavalierly; nevertheless, the summons was sent in French, to which he replied that, he was engaged in a council of war, and that the reply would be ready in the morning. A heavy fire was immediately opened on the two forts, but the town was spared as much as possible, and the following morning a letter was brought off from Souliman, as follows:— “Admirals,—You are acquainted with my orders, and after the refusal which, as was my duty, I returned to the proposals made me in the name of your Governments to betray my master and benefactor, it was impossible that I should act in opposition to his wishes. “As you observe, I was enabled yesterday fully to appreciate all the extent of evil it was in your power to bring down on innocent families, strangers to the present misunderstanding. “For the sake of killing five of my soldiers, you have ruined and brought families into desolation, you have killed women, a tender infant and its mother, an old man, two unfortunate peasants, and doubtless, many others whose names have not yet reached me; and, far from slackening the fire of your ships, when my soldiers (who during that deplorable day did not once fire) fell back on the town across the inhabited country of Beyrout, your fire, I say, became more vigorous and destructive for the unfortunate peasants rather than for my soldiers. You appear decided to make yourselves masters of the town, notwithstanding that, in any event, the question will remain as before. If the fortune of war prove adverse to me, Beyrout shall only fall into your power when reduced to cinders. This town has not ceased being inhabited, and moreover, it contains merchandise imported from Europe, the value of which is considerable. Under these circumstances I have constantly endeavoured to justify throughout, the grateful thanks which I have received from Europeans. Guards have been posted to secure respect to their habitations and their magazines. They will find them untouched on their return. It lies not in my power to deliver the town; my orders are for its defence, and I shall defend it come what may. I, therefore, am not the person to address if you are really desirous of sparing innocent persons from the inevitable horrors of warfare, which in a few hours you have power to bring down on them.