Egypt -- History -- Mohammed Ali, 1805-1849; Syria -- History; Turkey -- History -- 1829-1878
_Envoy of Prussia_ added, that any concession in favour of Mehemet Ali
could only be considered as an effect of the Sultan’s generosity; for
the independence of his Highness is the object of the Convention of July
15; but the more advantageous the Sultan’s position is at the present
time, the more will it perhaps allow him to be generous.
_Minister for Foreign Affairs._ Since Mehemet Ali has rejected the
Treaty of July 15, that Treaty no longer exists for him, and other
conditions might be imposed on Mehemet Ali.
_Internuncio._ But the Treaty continues to exist for us.
_Ambassador of England._ I declare that, in my opinion, Mehemet Ali has
now no right; that the Sultan is master to take the course which he
shall consider fitting, and that we can only afford him our advice.
_Minister for Foreign Affairs_, addressing himself to the Internuncio,
says to him: Your Excellency began by saying, that if the Sultan is
satisfied with the letter of Mehemet Ali, his submission ought to be
accepted. But Mehemet Ali has already written a thousand letters of the
same kind. Can any faith be placed in his letters? It is evident besides
that there is some trick even in this last letter. For example, he
speaks of Commodore Napier’s Convention, which is a void act, in order
to come to the subject of hereditary succession.
_Internuncio._ That is true; but this letter, given in consequence of a
summons made to him by the English Admiral in the name of the Four
Powers, cannot be compared to all those which he has addressed of his
own accord to the Sublime Porte, and specifically to Hosrew Pacha.
_Minister for Foreign Affairs._ You understand, gentlemen, that in any
case it is necessary that the Porte should have time to reflect upon
this matter.
_Internuncio._ Assuredly, an affair of this kind cannot be concluded in
a day; it is, doubtless, necessary that your Excellency should be able
to concert with your colleagues, and take the orders of the Sultan.
_Minister for Foreign Affairs_ observes, that having to submit to the
Council and to the Sultan his report on the Conference of this day, he
is desirous of knowing, definitely, what is the conclusion which he
should communicate to them.
_Representatives_ reply that their opinion being recorded in the present
Protocol, they refer themselves to it.
_Ambassador of England._ I repeat that I must wait for the decision of
the Sultan to give the advice which is enjoined to me by the orders of
my Government.
_Internuncio_ observes once again how much it would be to be regretted
if the Porte should not conform with promptitude to the wish expressed
by the Allied Courts in the Memorandum of the 14th of November.
No. VII.
LETTER from Lieutenant-Colonel NAPIER to Sir CHARLES NAPIER.
My dear Father, Cairo, February 16, 1841.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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