Letter from Captain Stewart—Apprehended Treachery of the Turkish
Authorities—Question of the Syrian Troops—Double dealing of Mehemet
Ali—The Author’s Letters to the chief British and Turkish
Officers—Letter to the Admiral.
Halfway down the river I met Colonel Napier, with the following letter
from Captain Stewart, who had come to Gaza to prevent, if possible, a
collision between the Turks and the Egyptians.
“Gaza, January 25, 1841,
Monday, 1½h., P.M.
“My dear Commodore,
“I arrived here with Colonel Rose and Rechid Pacha about an hour ago, in
the Hecate.
“We have been induced to come, from the suspicions and jealousies
entertained by the Turks, _* * *_ of the intentions of Ibrahim Pacha, in
concentrating such a formidable force in this place.
“The Turks have advanced all their forces on Jerusalem, Hebron, and
Medjdel, and we become somewhat anxious that _* *_ would bring on a
collision.
“They assure us here, that the retirement shall be commenced to-morrow
morning, by two regiments of cavalry and two more in the afternoon; and
we send this news back to Jaffa, which will keep all right and safe.
“But the point of the Syrian conscripts being allowed to remain in their
own country, is one of great difficulty and great importance, inasmuch
as the Turks have received positive and late instructions to insist upon
it. Achmet Pacha, (who commands here,) says, he will restore them the
moment he receives the order. Meantime a list of those who may be in the
first retiring regiments is to be given to me, and so soon as leave for
the Syrians to remain arrives, every one of them shall be returned.
“Rechid Pacha assures us that Mehemet Ali gave his word of honour to the
Turkish Commissioners at Alexandria, that they should all be permitted
to leave the Egyptian ranks previous to passing the frontiers; and it is
to obtain this order, without a moment’s loss of time, that I send off
the steamers. I beg of you to return the authority by the quickest
_possible conveyance_, be it Hecate or any other already coaled. The
Turks attach great importance to this article. They are now in force as
well of cavalry as of infantry, all the cavalry from the north having
joined, _* * *_
* * * * * *
“I have now no fears but all will go well. Ibrahim Pacha is expected
here to-morrow, and I shall wait here to see him, and, indeed, until I
hear from Alexandria.
“Poor gallant, excellent, General Michell died at Jaffa yesterday of
fever and ague, caught by exposure and fatigue. Colonel Bridgeman now
commands, and will do everything well. _* * * *_
* * * * * *
“In haste,
“Yours very faithfully,
(Signed) “HOUSTON STEWART.”
“To Commodore
Sir Charles Napier, K.C.B.”
The Turks, not aware of the strength of the Egyptians, seemed to await a
good excuse to attack them, and this I feared would be afforded them, by
the fact that many of the Syrians had accompanied the Egyptian army; the
Turks had orders to demand them, and it was stoutly refused by the
Egyptians, who had no orders on the subject.
I had before spoken to Mehemet Ali about these people, and he objected,
under the plea that it would disorganize Ibrahim’s army even more than
the retreat, and if they were allowed to join the Turks they might be
turned against him. This was much more than probable, and I in
consequence consented that they should be delivered up at Gaza. Mehemet
Ali in this case did not keep his word.
Colonel Napier, accompanied by Capt. Ward, had seen Boghos Bey and also
the Pacha, on the subject of these despatches. Mehemet Ali declared to
them that he had settled with Masloum Bey that they were to come into
Egypt, and be sent back from thence. This was not true. I do not believe
any such arrangement was entered into with Masloum: on the contrary, he
demanded them, and on the Pacha appealing to me I consented to their
coming as far as Gaza. The Turks had shown so little good faith since
the commencement of the retreat that I am not at all surprised that
Ibrahim should put no confidence in them.
On my return to Alexandria I brought the subject of the Syrian troops
before the Pacha, who expressed a great unwillingness to leave them
behind; and as there was no way of obliging Ibrahim to do this but by
violence, and as it is more than probable the Turks would have had the
worst of it, I thought it much better, under all circumstances, not to
proceed to this extremity, and I wrote as follows to Captain Stewart,
and General Jochmus, inclosing a copy of the Convention, in order that
the Turks might have no pretext whatever to use force; which I have no
doubt they would have done when Ibrahim’s army was weakened by the
detachments that were embarked, and sent across the Desert, had it not
been for the presence of the British officers, who, however, though with
difficulty enough, managed to keep them quiet till the evacuation was
completed.
“H.M.S. Carysfort, Alexandria,
Feb. 2, 1841.
“Sir,
“I beg to inclose you the copy of a Convention entered into by myself
and the Egyptian Government, which Convention has been approved of by
the British Government and the Allies, and I have been sent by Sir
Robert Stopford to carry it into execution.
“I have authorized his Highness the Pacha to send frigates and
transports to Gaza, to embark any part of the Egyptian army he thinks
fit, and it is my direction that you afford them every facility in your
power to accomplish this, as well as to facilitate their retreat by
land.
“You will call upon the Turkish authorities to support you in this, and
should you find any impediment thrown in the way, you will, in the name
of the Allied Powers, protest against it in the most solemn manner, as
contrary to the existing treaties, as contrary to the custom of
civilized nations, as contrary to the laws of humanity, and contrary
even to the interests of the Porte.
“The Syrian troops are not to be embarked against their own free will,
but if you have any suspicion that General Jochmus will use them against
the Egyptians they had better be disarmed, or even be allowed to go into
Egypt; in fact, do any thing to avoid a collision.
“I have, &c.,
“CHAS. NAPIER, _Commodore_.
“P.S. I have written this to avoid any misunderstanding, though my
letter of the 11th, delivered to you by Lieut. Loring, appears
sufficiently explicit. The Stromboli is to be sent back immediately.”
“Captain Houston Stewart, C.B.,
H.M.S. Benbow,
Or, the Senior Naval Officer, Gaza.”
-------
“H.M.S. Carysfort, Alexandria,
Feb. 2, 1841.
“Sir,
“I have the honour of inclosing you the copy of a Convention entered
into by myself and the Egyptian Government, which has been approved of
by the Allies, and I have been directed to see it carried into
execution.
“I send you this Convention, because I understand the Turkish
authorities, (notwithstanding my letter to you on the 11th of January,
sent by Lieut. Loring,) have put difficulties in the way of carrying it
into execution, and have even meditated an attack on the Egyptian army.
“I have authorized Mehemet Ali to send frigates or transports to Gaza to
embark any portion of the Egyptian army he sees fit, and I have directed
Captain Stewart to give them every facility; and I call upon your
Excellency, in the name of the Allied Powers, to desist from any hostile
measure.
“Relative to the question of the Syrians, I have directed Captain
Stewart not to embark them against their will.
“Should the Turkish authorities, (at the head of which I believe you
are,) impede in any way the retreat of the Egyptian army, I have
directed Captain Stewart to protest against it in the most solemn
manner, in the name of the Allies, as contrary to the existing treaties,
as contrary to the custom of civilized nations, as contrary to the laws
of humanity, and contrary even to the interests of the Porte.
“I have, &c.,
“CHARLES NAPIER, _Commodore_.”
“His Excellency Jochmus Pacha,
Commander-in-Chief, Forces, Syria.”
I wrote a short letter to the same purport to Colonel Bridgeman, and
also communicated the state of affairs to the Admiral, then at Malta:—
“H.M.S. Carysfort, Alexandria,
Feb. 4, 1841.
Sir,
“In my letter to you of the 23rd of January I informed you of the
arrival of Ibrahim Pacha at Gaza, which I find was a mistake; he marched
with the rear-guard, and arrived at Gaza on the 31st.
“I received a private letter from Captain Stewart, dated the 23rd
January, informing me he was very apprehensive that the Turkish
authorities would seize any opportunity to bring on a collision between
the Turks and Egyptians, and in fact the former had advanced, and
skirmished with the outposts, and then made rather a precipitate
retreat.
“I inclose copies of letters I wrote to Captain Stewart, General
Jochmus, and Colonel Bridgeman.
“Yesterday I again heard from Captain Stewart, announcing the arrival of
Ibrahim Pacha at Gaza, and his intention of immediately retiring again
into Egypt; he had collected at Gaza 25,000 men, including about 6000
cavalry, in good order; this formidable force will, I have no doubt,
keep the Turks quiet.
“I have, &c.,
(Signed) CHAS. NAPIER, _Commodore_.”
“The Hon. Sir Robert Stopford, &c.,
Malta.”