The ambassadors in Constantinople drew handsome profit from the sale
of diplomas of protection or “barâts.” Liston, in 1795, denied himself
the privilege of drawing upon so “turbid a source.” The protected
person exploited “all the weight of the British embassy,” even in law-
suits. (Drummond to Hawkesbury, 22nd June, 1803, F.O., Turkey, 40.)
The lengths that Lord Elgin went in the art of making money was
astounding. (Drummond to Hawkesbury, 13th July, 1803, F.O., Turkey,
40.) In August, 1801, “an attention” was paid him on the surrender of
Cairo in the shape of 25,000 piastres in gold. In September he
received 32,000 and his “Lady” 15,000. This was on the news of the
surrender of Alexandria. On the 14th January, 1803, the sum of 25,000
was sent to them upon their departure. During his embassy, there
“occurred” only five barâts, upon one of which Elgin received nothing,
being a transfer from one person to another. The “highest
consideration” to the “ambassadoress” upon another was 5,000. The rest
brought in less. As for procuring “firmans” for individuals, Elgin
received 1000 for his interposition at the Porte. “They fell in more
frequently than Barâts.” He also received 10,000 as “equipage money”
when he proposed to go to Egypt to settle the affairs of the Beys. The
visit was cancelled, but the money was not returned. There was also
the sum of 30,000 piastres for furnishing the French Palace when it
was occupied by Elgin during the war between Turkey and France. The
money, apparently, was not all spent on furniture, for the French
Chargé, when he took over the palace, refused to accept the furniture
on account of its badness.
Elgin also received—but this in common with all his predecessors—a
lump sum of 27,000 for himself and 10,000 for his wife in lieu of the
“Taayn,” which was an allowance of 500 piastres per day granted to the
embassies by the Porte.
As for “jewels” and “presents,” excluding the legitimate ones on the
occasion of presenting credentials, a ring of the value of 10,000
piastres presented by Selim to Lady Elgin in an audience in October,
1801, a diamond snuff-box in June, 1800, worth 10,000 piastres, an
elegant diamond “aigrette” from the dowager Sultana, worth 10,000, an
“aigrette” on the recovery of Egypt valued at 12,000, a snuff-box
worth 5000 and a dagger worth 4000 from the Capitan Pasha, to Lady
Elgin a parcel of shawls and a diamond flower from the sister of the
same dignitary, another and a diamond watch and chain from the dowager
Sultana—the whole fetched 20,000. (Reports of Pisani to Drummond II,
25th July, 1803, F.O., Turkey, 40.) Pisani observes “that the above
pecuniary compliments (as well as the other presents in jewels, etc.)
were not made without some previous suggestion and solicitation on the
part of the person acting in the ambassador’s interests at the Porte.”
It might be asked, however, could Pisani’s deposition be accepted? It
could, because, in stating every item, he gave his, his wife’s and his
daughter’s share. The Capitan Pasha told the French Ambassador, Brune,
that “Elgin a demandé et obtenu cinq audiences de congé parceque des
présents sont attachés à cette sorte de cérémonie, pour des présents
sa femme était allé visiter jusqu’aux dernières concubines du sérail;
enfin le capitan Pasha se dit avoir été presque butiné ou dépouillé
par l’indiscrétion de toutes les personnes qui composaient la légation
anglaise.” (Brune to Bonaparte, 16 pluviôse an XI, 4th February, 1803,
Arch. Nat. AF. IV, 1688.) Elgin waxed indignant over the fact that
Christopher Hutchinson went straight to the Porte with the news of the
surrender of Alexandria and thus first received the full benefit of
Turkish joy. (Elgin to Hawkesbury, 19th October, 1801, F.O., Turkey,
33.) But, we have seen, he was not forgotten.
No excuse could be pleaded for him. The dragomen, however, were in a
peculiar situation. They were not paid any salary at all. In point of
fact, Pisani, in making his above-mentioned declaration, requested
Drummond to receive it—not as a matter for censure—but as proof of the
necessity of establishing a new system which would free the dragomen
from worry and ensure their independence of the influence of the
Porte. With Elgin it was a different matter. His appointments came to
£4500 a year. (Elgin to Hawkesbury, 13th January, 1803, F.O. Turkey,
38.) The Levant Company paid for all the customary presents to the
Porte. Straton, who succeeded Elgin as mere “Chargé d’Affaires,”
voluntarily divested himself from profits resulting from the sale of
barâts and other sources, but could not deprive the dragomen of what
was, for them, a means of livelihood.
When Lord Hawkesbury received the accounts of the “very improper
practices with respect to pecuniary transactions which have prevailed
at Constantinople at different periods under the sanction or with the
connivance of former ambassadors,” he announced the intention to
reform the practice. (Hawkesbury to Drummond, 9th September, 1803,
F.O., Turkey, 40.) As a matter of fact, efforts were made in the
succeeding years to do this. Scales of pay were proposed for the
dragomen; but the practice was not changed during the years under
review.