“Sir,“Her Majesty’s Ship Medea,Nov. 27, 1840.“In the Convention entered into by your Excellency and myself, Mehemet Ali is styled his Highness the Viceroy of Egypt. As this does not alter the spirit of the Convention, I did not hesitate to sign it, but you must clearly understand that I cannot acknowledge that title until Mehemet Ali is restored by the Porte.“I have, &c.,“Charles Napier,Commodore.”“His Excellency Boghos Bey.”
“Sir,“Her Majesty’s Ship Medea,Nov. 27, 1840.
“Sir,
“Sir,
“Her Majesty’s Ship Medea,Nov. 27, 1840.
“Her Majesty’s Ship Medea,Nov. 27, 1840.
“Her Majesty’s Ship Medea,Nov. 27, 1840.
“Her Majesty’s Ship Medea,Nov. 27, 1840.
“Her Majesty’s Ship Medea,
Nov. 27, 1840.
“In the Convention entered into by your Excellency and myself, Mehemet Ali is styled his Highness the Viceroy of Egypt. As this does not alter the spirit of the Convention, I did not hesitate to sign it, but you must clearly understand that I cannot acknowledge that title until Mehemet Ali is restored by the Porte.
“I have, &c.,“Charles Napier,Commodore.”
“I have, &c.,“Charles Napier,Commodore.”
“I have, &c.,“Charles Napier,Commodore.”
“I have, &c.,“Charles Napier,Commodore.”
“I have, &c.,“Charles Napier,Commodore.”
“I have, &c.,
“Charles Napier,Commodore.”
“His Excellency Boghos Bey.”
“His Excellency Boghos Bey.”
“His Excellency Boghos Bey.”
“His Excellency Boghos Bey.”
Venturing on so important a measure as this Convention without authority, would only be justified by the result; but it was not without precedent. Sir Sydney Smith had entered into a Convention with the French for the evacuation of Egypt, and Captain Foote had also, when serving under Lord Nelson, entered into one for the evacuationof Naples. Both were rejected by their superior officers. The rejection of the first led to the expedition to Egypt, which cost some millions, and the loss of much life; the rejection of the last, to scenes that are better buried in oblivion.
16. This letter, dated October 15, 1840, was by mistake, not sent to the Minister. The error was soon discovered and rectified. A copy of the letter will be found at p. 249 of this volume.
16. This letter, dated October 15, 1840, was by mistake, not sent to the Minister. The error was soon discovered and rectified. A copy of the letter will be found at p. 249 of this volume.