18 against the Pasha, all those who might hope to reap benefit from it. Lord Ponsonby concludes by saying, that he believes it to be impossible to maintain the status quo; that the British Government will soon have to decide between Mehemet Ali and the Sultan, and cannot decide against the latter without a breach of faith, and insuring the triumph of Russia. Lord Clanricarde, No. 9, Nov. 20, Lord Clanricarde communicated to Count Nesselrode on the 7th 1838, of November, Lord Palmerston's despatch No. G. With reference to the allusions contained in it to the Treaty of Unkiar Skelessi. and to the acquisition by Russia of the mouths of the Danube by the Treaty of Adrianople, Count Nesselrode said, on the first point, that Russia regarded the Treaty of Unkiar Skelessi as a burthen, from which it could derive benefit only in case of war; and, on the second point, he spoke of the acquisition of the mouths of the Danube as trifling. He denied that he had ever intimated that a Russian army might occupy Syria; but he made no remark on Lord Palmerston's proposal of a joint representation from the Five Powers to Mehemet Ali. On a previous occasion, the Count had said that Russia desired the same end as England, but to arrive at it in a different manner.

59 b ? ™1 0 ' Nothing further passed on this subject, and the question was dropped ' ' from that time until the month of February, when Count Mole" in a conversation with Karl Granville, alluding to the approach of the period at which Mehemet Ali would return from Sennaar, expressed his wish that the French and English Governments should be prepared to act in concert, when the Pasha should renew the subject of his independence. Count Mole" said, that without such previous concert a divergence might appear in the language and proceedings of the two Governments, which could not fail to be prejudicial to the object which both had in view. Lord Granville said that he had no doubt the British Government would give the most favourable attention to any proposal having for its object to secure unity in the language and proceedings of the two Governments, and he recapitulated what had taken place last year, and the success which had attended the menaces of the Four Powers. Count Mole said that lie could not rely upon the effect of those menaces, if no hope was held out to Mehemet Ali of an arrangement with the Sultan in favour of hu descendants. Nothing, in his opinion, would tend more to stave off' a crisis in the East, than leading Mehemet Ali to expect that the good offices of England and France would be employed at Constantinople to secure to his son the succession to the Government of Egypt.

No answer was returned to this proposition.

M. Hummolaucr, Qn the 8th of April, the Austrian Charge d'affaires communicated J\h\MiibankV t o I-01'd Pahnerston a despatch from Prince Metternich of the 28th of No. 33, March 28, March, directing him to call the attention of the British Government to 1S39-the evident intention of the Porte to attack Mehemet Ali. Prince Metternich inclosed a copy of a despatch from M. Bouteneff to the Russian Ambassador at Vienna, dated the 13th of March, and saying that notwithstanding the formal assurances given to him by the Porte a month before, the question of an immediate conflict between the Turkish and Egyptian troops in Syria was now in agitation ; that the Turkish Ministers had desired the Russian dragoman to inform M. Bouteneff', that Ilafiz Pasha had reported that from the movements of the Egyptian troops, he was led to apprehend an immediate attack, and had requested permission to advance towards the Syrian frontier, in order to be in readiness to repel any such attack. The Porte, it was added, was inclined to approve the plan, but before doing so, wished to ascertain Lord Fon-,oiiby, what would be the opinion of Europe, and of Russia, and specifically No. 7C, March 23, w] i et] i e r jf a collision should ensue, the Sultan would be held responsible for that event. M. Bouteneff replied, as appears also from his instruction to his dragoman, of which the Internuncio gave Lord Ponsonby a copy, that being without instructions he could only offer his own opinion on the matter; that without adverting to military eou>'(derations, he eou-19 sidered it incredible that Mehemet Ali, during his absence in Upper Egypt, should attempt an attack on the Sultan's forces; that it was equally incredible that Mehemet Ali, who had recently yielded to the declarations of opposition on the part of the Powers, should now commence hostilities with the certainty of encountering the same opposition ; that the approach of the Turkish troops to the Syrian frontier might lead to a collision, the immediate effect of which would be a declaration of independence on the part of Mehemet Ali; that it would depend upon the Porte as to which party would be responsible; that as long as the Porte continued in its present peaceful policy, it might reckon upon the support and goodwill of the Powers ; but that the matter would be viewed differently, if the Porte had recourse to measures which should appear to provoke hostilities; that as to the sacrifices which the existing state of things imposed upon the Porte, great as they were, they were trifling in comparison to the chances of a war, which might become general; that Russia had nothing to do with the establishment of the existing state of things, but had done everything to prevent it; but, once established, the Powers, who saw in it the only guarantee of peace in the East, were resolved to maintain it; that, lastly, it would be advisable for the Porte to communicate frankly on the matter with other Governments. M. Bouteneff closes his despatch by saying that he was far from feeling sure that his advice would be followed ; and that the accounts from Hafiz Pasha's camp served to show that the crisis was at hand.

Prince Metternich's despatch goes on to say, that it was his intention immediately to instruct the Internuncio to hold the same language with M. Boutcneff', and to add that the Sultan must be assured that Austria, in common with her allies, would retain Mehemet Ali within the bounds of allegiance, and if he attempted to transgress them, all Europe would be leagued against him ; that, on the other hand, if the Sultan should be the aggressor, Austria would consider herself released from all obligations with respect to the Sultan. Prince Metternich added that it was desirable that Lord Ponsonby should have corresponding in-ToM.Hurmnelauor, structions, and be directed to co-operate with his colleagues. APril 10> 183!'-In reply to this communication, M. Hummelauer was informed that Lord Ponsonby had already and frequently been instructed to endeavour to dissuade the Sultan from hostilities against Mehemet Ali; that he had acted upon those instructions; and would be again instructed in the same sense.

TV The first instructions to Lord Ponsonby on this subject, in the year 1839, were dated on the 15th of March. In the early part of the y e a r * " ' Lord Ponsonby reported that the Sultan had been advised to propose that y . ' the Great Powers should hold a Conference on the eastern question; but that the Russian Minister had represented that such a measure would be productive of danger to the Porte, as England and France might take advantage of it to suggest a course prejudicial to the rights of the Porte. On the 22nd of January, a grand Council was held to discuss the question of peace or war with Mehemet Ali, and the Russians were supposed to be exciting the Sultan to the latter course. Rumours of war continue! to prevail; and Lord Ponsonby considered that the mission of the Russian dragoman Frauchiui to Persia was connected with a scheme for drawing the Sultan into hostilities with Mehemet Ali. Lord Ponsonby says that he has been doing his best to induce the Sultan not to deviate from his N O ' ' T G ' intention of waiting to see the result of Reshid Pasha's embassy. 183y" ' ' ' On the 4th of February another grand Council was held for the discussion of the question of peace or war, at which a proposition was Lord Pononbv, said to have been made for raising Rayah regiments. No; 24> Ft'b- *"'• Subsequently Lord Ponsonby was induced to believe that the Sultan 8 would not immediately commence hostilities, His Highness having caused him to be assured that he would do nothing precipitately. The Turkish Minister also stated to the Russian Minister, who had said that the Emperor would learn with great dissatisfaction (hat the Sultan had done anything to disturb peace, that the Porte had no intention whatever of making war. r 1 D . \ /• i /., i i T i i> i i • r Lord ron.«onl>\, A lew days afterwards, however, Lord Ponsonby received informa- N(J 2y j.vb. ij, tion that war was in fact determined upon : that the Sultan placed little 1839. '