tinople and coming direct to this place, the restrictions of quarantine might be avoided; accordingly, Sir Robert Stopford reverted to his former intention, and ordered a steamer to proceed. For the good of the service upon which I am employed, as well as for every consideration of a personal nature, I rejoice at the measure we adopted.

All questions of a doubtful character that have not been referred to your Lordship by Lord Ponsonby, have been most satisfactorily solved by his Excellency, for whose energetic and successful proceedings with the Authorities on the spot I can never be sufficiently grateful.

We return to the coast of Syria to-morrow, armed with all the powers that can be extended by the Sultan towards fulfilling the commands of Her Majesty's Government. I have, &c.,

No. 32.

(Signed)

C. F. SMITH,

Colonel.

Colonel Sir Charles F. Smith to Viscount Palmerston.-(Received November 15.)
My Lord,
Beyrout, October 14, 1840.

YOUR Lordship will have been made acquainted through the despatches of the Commander-in-Chief on the Mediterranean station of the surrender, during my absence on duty at Constantinople, of Tyre and Sidon to Her Majesty's ships and vessels.

I have now the satisfaction to inform your Lordship, that on the night of the 9th instant, a report of the troops of Mehemet Ali having evacuated the town of Beyrout reached Sir Robert Stopford. At daylight the following morning Captain Henderson of Her Majesty's ship "Edinburgh," landed with me for the purpose of ascertaining the fact, when he hoisted the Ottoman flag on the works; at 3 A.M., of the 11th, a Colonel of the Egyptian army treated with me for terms of surrender for 2,000 of his officers and men: later in the day the remainder of the Infantry in the camp of Solyman Pasha followed the example, and a detachment from the small force I had the means, in the first instance, of throwing into Beyrout, marched out, under the direction of Lieutenant Aldrich, British Engineers, and took possession of twenty field-guns.

Inclosed are returns of the arms, ammunition, and stores, that have fallen into the hands of the Allied Forces under my command.

C. F. SMITH, Colonel Commanding.

P.S.-I have forwarded to Lord Ponsonby the colours of the Egyptian corps, and the flag of Beyrout for presentation to the Sultan.

Inclosure 1 in No. 32.

C. F. S.

Return of Ordnance, Ammunition, Stores, Small Arms, Camp Equipage, &c. &c., seized from the Enemy, in their Camp before Beyrout, on the Morning of the 11th of October.

Inclosure 2 in No. 32.

Beyrout, October 14, 1840.

Return of Ordnance, Ammunition, Stores, Small Arms, Provisions, &c., seized in Beyrout, on the Morning of the 10th instant.

DESCRIPTION OF GUNS AND STORES.

Medium Iron Guns, 31, dismounted on the walls.

Colonel Sir Charles F. Smith to Viscount Palmerston.-(Received November 15.)

(Extract.)

Beyrout, October 22, 1840.

THE detention of Her Majesty's ship "Cyclops," which I was informed on board the flag ship would be the first opportunity for the conveyance of despatches to Europe, makes me apprehensive that mine of the 14th will not reach London so early as will other communications of like date, forwarded by way of Constantinople.

I have now the honour to acquaint your Lordship, that Tripoli was evacuated upon, an Austrian corvette (without any hostile intention) anchoring off the town. Tortosa and Latakia are also abandoned. On those events I have to remark that, independently of the increased number of points to look after, they occasion an extension of the flank upon which I do not meditate active operations, and the release for active purposes of about 5,000 of the enemy's troops.

Ibrahim Pasha has concentrated the portion of his original force that he can depend upon, at Zahle, where, and at Damascus, are his principal depôts, having very wisely left the dead weight, and disaffected to be fed by the Turkish Government. From Zahle, he can move by easy lines of communication upon any of the almost defenceless towns we hold; and he, probably, will do so when the season becomes so far advanced as to cause the ships of war to quit their anchorage on the coast.

Amidst interruptions of the most perplexing nature, I have been endeavouring to restore order.

I have to carry on the details of the whole Turkish force. At Sidon I am endeavouring to raise a corps of cavalry, which will be essentially important when the base of operations rests, as I intend it should do, upon that place and Tyre.

P.S.-The European troops are extremely unhealthy; this day's return gives 25 per cent. in hospital: and, since writing the letter, of which this is a duplicate, the per centage has increased to 30.

No. 34.

Mr. Consul Larking to Viscount Palmerston.—(Received November 15.)

My Lord,

Alexandria, October 16, 1840. SINCE I had the honour to address your Lordship on the 6th instant, nothing of material importance has occurred.

The country remains quiet, with the exception of a slight manifestation of discontent amongst the Cairo Militia, owing to a report that a part of them were to be sent to Syria.

On hearing this, Mehemet Ali went immediately to Cairo, and by his presence restored tranquillity; and, at the same time, ordered that the communications with Suez, which had undergone a momentary stoppage, should be reopened, and every facility given by the authorities for the transmission of mails and the safe passage of travellers.

Captain Johnson, the East India Company's Deputy Agent, has applied to Mehemet Ali, and obtained from him an officer to escort the mails from Suez should they arrive, in which case we may expect them at Alexandria on the 21st or 22nd instant.

Great activity prevails in strengthening the fortifications of Alexandria under the superintendence of Colonel Galisse. The equipment of the combined fleet is going on, and nearly completed; the Turkish sailors have not been removed, although their discontent rather increases.

I have, &c., (Signed)

JOHN W. LARKING. P.S.-October 17. Intelligence has been received this morning from Syria of the defection of the Emir Bechir, and the desertion of several regiments in Mehemet Ali's service; and that Solyman Pasha has, consequently, been obliged to evacuate Beyrout, and is endeavouring to join Ibrahim.

No. 35.

Mr. Consul Larking to Viscount Palmerston.-(Received November 15.)

My Lord,

Alexandria, October 28, 1840.

IN my last despatch of the 16th instant, I had the honour to inform your Lordship, that Mehemet Ali had received intelligence of the successive defeats of his troops in Syria, and also of the defection of the Emir Bechir.

This intelligence at first affected him much, but has not prevented him making the greatest efforts to support his son Ibrahim; in this view he is collecting a large number of camels at Cairo to transport provisions and ammunition.

He has also had recourse to the expedient of recalling from Cairo Sheik Abou Naked and Sheik Ali, and his son, of the family of Abd il Malek. These individuals were partizans of the Sheik Bechir, who was killed about fifteen years ago, and have been for the last seven years living at Cairo in a sort of honourable captivity, at the instance of the Emir Bechir, who confiscated their property, but afterwards, at Mehemet Ali's request, allowed them its usufruct. They are all of the Druse religion, and are expected to arrive in Alexandria forthwith, when one of them is to receive the pseudo-investiture of the principality of Mount Lebanon.

The Sheiks banished to Sennaar about two months ago have also been sent for, with a view to their liberation, in order that they may combine with the above-mentioned individuals in producing dissension in Mount Lebanon.

Notwithstanding these measures, and the encouragement given him by M. Cochelet and Count Walewski, it is evident, that Mehemet Ali has no longer that confidence in his position which he formerly possessed; and I believe I am correct in assuming, that he has now renounced all hope of being able to retain possession of Syria, if left to his own resources, and

that in his present efforts he is actuated by the vain hope instilled into his policy, through French agency, that if Ibrahim can hold out till the spring, French negotiation will save him, and eventually insure him the possession of those provinces.

Although the influence of France in this country is at present great, If I may venture an opinion, I should say, that Mehemet Ali begins to doubt whether the Government of that nation can assist him in the present crisis, and I think I can perceive a desire on his part for a reconciliation with England. I am led to this conclusion from his conversations, and I think another instance in favour of the assumption, is the great facility he is affording to British commercial interests, both as regards the shipping here, and the assistance he has just afforded in transmitting the India mails from Suez to this port.

These mails arrived here this morning, and proceed at once to Malta by the "Liverpool" steamer. I have, &c., (Signed)

JOHN W. LARKING.

No. 36.

Lord Beauvale to Viscount Palmerston.—(Received November 21.)

(Extract.)

Vienna, November 14, 1840. AS Prince Metternich's last despatches to Paris will have been communicated to your Lordship, I need give no account of their contents.

The immediate motive for writing them arose from the necessity in which the Prince found himself of accounting for his conduct in withholding instructions to the Internuncio to concur in the step prescribed to Lord Ponsonby by your Lordship's despatch of October 15th.

The publication of that despatch in the newspapers led him to apprehend that Austria would be held up as standing in the way of an amicable settlement of existing differences, and he therefore hastened to explain the motives of his conduct.

He took this opportunity of inculcating upon the French Government that the best course they could pursue would be that of determining Mehemet Ali to an early submission.

Having had repeated opportunities of hearing from the Prince his opinion as to the terms which might in that case be granted to the Pasha, I may state that these terms do not include the cession of any part of Syria, which, with the fortress of St. Jean d'Acre, must, in his opinion, be restored entire to the Sultan. With regard to Egypt, the Prince holds that the conditions upon which it may be conceded to Mehemet Ali must depend upon the circumstances of the moment when he shall make his submission. The most advantageous terms upon which it might be granted to him would be hereditarily to him and his descendants. The least advantageous would be those upon which he lately held it, during the Sultan's pleasure. Between these two extreme points there are many modifications, any one of which might be adopted according to the circumstances of the moment. I have represented to the Prince that the notion of granting Egypt hereditarily to Mehemet Ali had been put forwards in the first instance as a compensation for his relinquishment of other parts of the Sultan's dominions, but that if he should delay his submission until Acre had been wrested from him, he would no longer have anything to offer in return for the boon. In this reasoning the Prince fully acquiesced. If St. Jean d'Acre should neither be taken before the bad weather sets in, nor be ceded by Mehemet Ali during the winter, Prince Metternich is fully prepared to see it attacked in spring; nor do I think that in such a case Austria would withhold such assistance as might be necessary to advance the success of the operation.

No. 37.

Earl Granville to Viscount Palmerston.-(Received November 18.)

(Extract.)

Paris, November 16, 1840. I RECEIVED yesterday your Lordship's despatches of the 12th and 13th instant.

I communicated this morning to M. Guizot the substance of the despatches, and learnt from him, that Baron Bourqueney's report of his conversation with your Lordship corresponds with the statement made in your Lordship's despatch.

M. Guizot intimated to me, that he felt himself precluded by that conversation from making any further communication on the subject to Her Majesty's Government; and that the French Government would wait for events, prepared to take such course as those events might render expedient.

Count Appony yesterday communicated to M. Guizot a despatch of Prince Metternich, written after the intelligence had reached Vienna of the change of Ministry in France, and of the appointment of M. Guizot to the department of Foreign Affairs. The despatch is written in a very friendly spirit to M. Guizot. Prince Metternich apprehends that in the present excited state of France, a pacific Ministry will have great difficulties to encounter; and conceiving that the settlement of peace between the Sultan and the Viceroy of Egypt will not be complete unless France concurs in it, is disposed to afford facilities for the attainment of that object.

A suggestion is thrown out by the Austrian Minister, that the influence of France should be exerted over Mehemet Ali, to persuade him to solicit his Sovereign to invest him with the hereditary government of Egypt on the condition of his yielding the rest of his possessions, whilst the Four Allied Powers should use their influence at Constantinople to induce the Sultan to comply with the request of the Pasha.

M. Guizot, I hear from Count Appony, gave a favourable attention to this suggestion; indeed, I have reason to believe that he has already written to M. Cochelet, to urge the Viceroy to take the step suggested by the Austrian Minister.

My Lord,

No. 38.

Viscount Palmerston to Earl Granville.

Foreign Office, November 20, 1840. WITH reference to your Excellency's despatch of the 16th instant, in which you report that a disposition exists on the part of one of the Powers, parties to the Treaty of the 15th July, to make concessions, in regard to Turkish Affairs, to France under M. Guizot, which the Allies declined to make to France under M. Thiers, I have to state to your Excellency that this distinction does not seem founded upon any just ground.

If the Allied Powers refused to France, under M. Thiers, the concessions which M. Thiers demanded, which were, that the whole, or an important portion, of Syria should be left in the occupation of Mehemet Ali, the Allied Powers did not do so on account of any personal feeling on the part of the Allies against M. Thiers, but because they thought that such an arrangement as that desired by M. Thiers would be destructive of the integrity of the Turkish Empire, detrimental to the independence of the Sultan, injurious to the balance of power, and dangerous in its results to the peace of Europe.

Now, none of these considerations can be altered by the circumstance that M. Thiers has been succeeded by M. Guizot, and that the latter directs, for the present, the Foreign Affairs of France; for, even if the force of these considerations depended, which it obviously does not, upon the personal character of the individual who may hold at a particular moment a particular office in France, it must be recollected that the arrangements, to which the concessions in question relate, are meant to