I told him I was not without hopes that the British Government would still use their influence with the Porte to obtain that point, and that I should do everything in my power to forward the Pacha’s wishes, and I had reason to believe they would be complied with. He requested me to read the part of Lord Palmerston’s letter, approving of the Convention[16], which I consented to do, but he must consider it a private communication; he listened to this with much satisfaction, and said, if I would communicate it to the Pacha, it would go a great way to tranquillize his mind. In the morning I waited on the old man, and read to him the other part of Lord Palmerston’s instructions, which had some effect in putting him in good humour; he talked a good deal about the difficulty of quitting Syria till the spring without a great loss of life and stores, and was anxious that the women, children, and sick should be allowed to embark at Beyrout, Sidon, or the most convenient place, should the army be still at Damascus. There is no doubt whatever that he had sent orders to Ibrahim to withdraw, but was probably afraid that he would not obey them when he heard of his fathers submission without being certain of the hereditary pachalic being conferred, and he was anxious, in the event of his staying at Damascus, to free him of his incumbrances. I observed that the weather was now better than when the Convention was signed, and was improving every day; that I had no authority to allow any embarkation either at Beyrout or Sidon, but that I should write to the officer in command to give every facility in his power, and that I felt satisfied the best way to insure the British Government pressing the point of the hereditary pachalic was, by throwing no difficulties in the way; that, whether or no, his son must succeed him, and as to a guarantee, he had shown it was more necessary to guarantee the Porte against him, than him against the Porte. The old man was tickled at this observation, and consented to all I asked, and next morning Boghos gave it me in writing, as follows: “Commodore, “Alexandria, Jan. 10, 1841. “The object of the letter which I have the honour to address to you, is to recapitulate, according to the desire which you have expressed to me, the words which you heard from the mouth of the Viceroy, my master, himself, in your conversation yesterday evening. “The delay which has occurred in the evacuation of Syria is not dependent on the will of his Highness. In consequence of the Convention concluded with you on the 27th of November last, Hamid Bey was sent to Syria, to carry the Viceroy’s orders to Ibrahim Pacha. You know, Commodore, the reasons which hindered that superior officer from fulfilling his mission, and you are acquainted with the nature of the obstacles which prevented the despatches of his Highness from reaching their destination.