• in innii mi miirii' luaiirm Lord Granville, No. 212, June 22, 1838.

Lord Granville, No. 221, June 25, 1838.

Colonel Campbell, No. 36, May 1838.

2 3 Lord Ponsonby, No. 139, June 6, 1838.

Sir F. Lamb, No. 55, June 19, 18-38.

tion of Turkey against the Russians. To this was to be added the professed reluctance of the Pasha to leave his family to the mercy of the Porte, and to make over to the Porte the inheritance of all that he had created in Egypt.

With reference to a statement in Colonel Campbell's despatch, No. 28, that M. Cochelet would not co-operate with him respecting Mehemet Ali's armaments, Count Mole* told Lord Granville that the instructions which M. Cochelet would subsequently receive, would enable him cordially to co-operate with Colonel Campbell in expressing the dissatisfaction of the two Governments with Mehemet Ali's intention to declare himself independent.

With reference to what is stated in Colonel Campbell's No. 34, Lord Granville was assured by M. Dosages, in the absence of Count Mol6, that Baron Roussin had never attempted to bring about the independence of Mehemet Ali, but that on his own responsibility he had sought to persuade the Pasha to receive as a boon from the Sultan the investiture of the Pashalics of Syria, and to purchase by the abandonment of the other places now occupied by him, the reversion of a part of his Syrian possessions in favour of his son. Also with respect to Sarim Effendi's negotiation, M. Ddsages said, that the basis of that negotiation, was the reversion to the sons of the Pasha of his actual tributary position of vassal to the Porte ; and that the acknowledgment of his independence was not at that time mooted.* It was not, however, until the 25th of May, that Mehemet Ali declared to Colonel Campbell that he was fully resolved to declare himself independent; the interests of his family required that he should take that step, but before doing so, he would wait awhile, in the hope that the British Government would take such measures as might preserve peace, at the same time that his independence was established. Colonel Campbell replied, that it was a serious matter, and he hoped that he would suspend any active measure until accounts could be received from England, and in the meantime pay his tribute to the Porte. To this Mehemet Ali assented.

Colonel Campbell is persuaded that the Pasha will persevere in his resolution. The Pasha calculates upon the opposition of France and England, to the advance of a Russian army into Asia Minor, or failing that opposition, to his being able to rouse the Mussulman population against the Russians, which Colonel Campbell considers it probable that he might do. The Pasha further calculates upon the reluctance of England and France to incur the expence of armaments against him ; and upon the resources of Egypt and Syria, as rendering nugatory any blockade of those coasts; he is ready to make every reasonable pecuniary sacrifice to purchase the acknowledgment of his independence by the Sultan ; and he asserts that such a course would be advantageous to the Porte, which can never resume its rule over Syria ; he cannot consent that the fruit of all his toils should revert to the Sultan to the ruin of his own children. The Pasha, Colonel Campbell states, made, about the same time, similar communications to the Austrian, French, and Russian Consuls-General.

Dr. Bowring, on arriving at Constantinople, on the 4th of June, apprized Lord Ponsonby of the step which Mehemet Ali had announced his intention to take ; which Lord Ponsonby and Baron Roussin thereupon made known to the Porte. The Reis Effendi replied, that nothing would ever induce the Sultan to submit to the dismemberment of his empire, and that the Porte relied on the good faith of England.

Prince Metternich, on communicating to Sir F. Lamb, the reports * Dr. Bowrinfr's. letters of 22nd May, contain accounts of what the Pasha meditated doing, and of the language held by the I'asha and by Jiojjhos Bay to him and Colonel Campbell, at interviews pic\ious to that daj. The formal communication was howevei only made to Colonel Campbell on the 25th 6f May.

» 5 which he had received from Constantinople on this subject, authorized Sir Frederick Lamb to propose that Austria, England, France, and Russia should come to an understanding in London, as to the measures best calculated to prevent Mehemet Ali from declaring his independence, and as to those to be employed in case he should make the declaration. Prince Metternich did not seem to anticipate any objections to this course from other quarters, if approved by Her Majesty's Government.

Some time before any of the foregoing accounts were received in To Lord London, but when the reports from Egypt showed that nothing but in- J 2 9 7' dependent sovereignty could satisfy Mehemet Ali's ambition, and that all his armaments were being made with that object, Lord Palmerston conversed with the Austrian, French, and Russian Ambassadors on that subject, and received from each of them the assurance that his Government was resolved to discountenance any such attempt on the part of the Pasha, and was anxious that the Consuls of the Four Powers at Alexandria should be instructed simultaneously to deter him from such an attempt, and Count Pozzo di" Borgo proposed that the British fleet should be sent to the coasts of Egypt and Syria, to give weight to Colonel Campbell's remonstrances.

On the 24th of June, after Mehemet Ali's intentions became known, Lord Palmerston, in conversation with Prince Esterhazy, referred to what had been already agreed upon by the Four Great Powers as to the warning to be given by their respective Consuls to Mehemet Ali; but added that it was fitting that the Powers should be prepared to carry, if necessary, into execution any threats they might make; supposing always that the Sultan should resent the conduct of Mehemet Ali, and solicit aid from his Allies. In such a case, England and France could immediately afford naval assistance; but that would not suffice at the beginning of the campaign. The Russians then would probably send an army to the assistance of the Sultan, and occupy the Bosphorus and Dardanelles ; and, however, injuriously such a proceeding would affect the interests of France, Austria, and England, those Powers could hardly, under the circumstances, effectually interfere to prevent it. It was expedient, therefore, to devise by previous concert of the Four Powers, some means of affording military assistance to the Sultan. England might, indeed, send an army from Bombay, but that would occasion jealousy in other Powers, and would only accelerate the march of the Russians; and a French military expedition would have the same effect. Austria, however, might do so without creating any such jealousy on the part of Russia, and if Austria were inclined to do so, means of transport could be found in the Mediterranean. Prince Esterhazy, said, that he thought Russia would be willing to enter into arrangements on these matters with other Powers. Lord Palmerston added, that he wished Prince Esterhazy to explain to his Government, that the British Government had only thrown out this as a general notion, and not as making a proposition ; but from a desire to know Prince Metternich's own opinions.

On the 25th of June, Lord Palmerston, in communicating to Count Pozzo di Borgo the substance of the accounts from Egypt, and the intention of the British Government to return to Mehemet Ali the answer which the Four Powers had agreed upon, observed that the Pasha might have been influenced in his decision by some irresponsible British subjects in Egypt, and by his correspondents in England, who had misled him as to the views of the British Government, and also by his speculation on the jealousy with which France and England would view the advance of a Russian army into Turkey, and the disunion which might consequently arise between the Great Powers ; to prevent this, it appeared expedient to establish a previous concert between the Powers. Count Pozzo di Borgo appeared to acquiesce in this, and did not imply that Russia would be adverse to such previous concert.

Ou the 2o't!i of June, Lord Palmerston told Count Sebastian! what had passed between himself and Prime Esterhazy and Count Pozzo di Borgo, and asked his opinion upon the communication Lord Paltncrston had made to Prince Ivstcrhazy. Count Sebastian! concurred in the views of Lord Pulmerston, and xiid that it was absolutely necessary to prevent