“The Convention into which you have entered has been, as relates to the advanced stage of military events in Syria, more than attained by the retreat of Ibrahim Pacha. If therefore, you have unknown to me, had authority to treat, I must decline to be a party to recommending the ratification of the said Convention; and if unauthorised to treat, such Convention is invalid, and is, by me, protested against as being highly prejudicial to the Sultan’s cause, in as far as it has, or may have, relation to the operations of the army under my command. It is needless for me to add that a copy of this protest shall be forwarded to Her Majesty’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. “I have, &c., “C. F. SMITH, _Major-General_, “_Commanding the Forces in Syria_.” “Commodore Napier, C.B., H.M.S. Powerful.” “H.M.S. Powerful, Marmorice, January 6, 1841. “Sir, “Had I unfortunately abstained from writing to you, and the Admiral had quited the coast, you would have had just cause to have complained of my want of courtesy. “When I left Beyrout, Sir Robert Stopford was Commander-in-Chief of the allied forces by sea and land, it was therefore unnecessary for me to communicate to you what my powers were, as on him alone devolved the duty of approving or disapproving of my Convention. He disapproved of it, and Ibrahim Pacha returned to Damascus. I quite disagree with you that the Convention was prejudicial to the interests of the Porte, and I am happy to say it has been approved of (with the exception of the guarantee) by Her Majesty’s Government, and I am now going to Alexandria to see it carried into execution. “I have, &c., “CHARLES NAPIER, _Commodore_.” “To Sir Charles Smith, &c., &c., Gibraltar.” “Sir, “Therapia, December 7, 1840. “I had the honour last night to receive your communication of a Convention, dated Medea steamer, Alexandria, 27th November, 1840, signed Charles Napier, Commodore, and Boghos Bey. “I immediately laid that Convention before the Sublime Porte, and acquainted my colleagues, the Austrian Internuncio, the Prussian Envoy, and the Russian Chargé d’Affaires, with it. It is my duty to acquaint you that the Sublime Porte has made a formal protest against your acts, declaring you have no power or authority whatever to justify what you have done, and that the Convention is null and void. “My colleagues above-mentioned, and myself, entirely concur with the Sublime Porte, and declare that we are ignorant of your having the least right to assume the powers you have exercised; and that we consider the Convention null and void, _ab initio_.