2. Napoleon certainly “altered” the Report, but not in the sense implied
in Fournier, i.e. he omitted or changed all passages that might give
umbrage to the Porte or incriminate individuals and left intact all
passages against British policy and agents. The alterations on the
original manuscript are in pencil and are more or less becoming effaced.
3. The “recantation” of Sebastiani is of no importance. He probably
recanted at the orders of his master in pursuance of a momentary need.
SEBASTIANI TO TALLEYRAND.
Devant Alexandrie à bord de la “Cornelie.”
2 vendémiaire XI (23 Sept., 1802).
. . . On arrival I went to Stuart, spoke to him about the evacuation.
His answer, as I had expected, was that he had received no orders and
that he believed he would have to pass the winter in Egypt. “Le peuple
d’Alexandrie a montré le plus grand joie en nous voyant. Déjà on disait
que je venais prendre possession de la ville au nom du Grand Consul et
le contentement des habitants se manifestait de manière à attirer même
l’attention des Anglais.” The English occupy Alexandria with 4500
soldiers only. The Turks occupy the rest of the country with 20,000.
They had been driven out of the forts of Alexandria by Stuart. Great
“mésintelligence” between the two armies. The Mamelukes are in the
Fayyoum or at 10 or 12 leagues from Cairo. They number 3 to 4000,
defeated the Turks and popular with the inhabitants. The English openly
favour them. The Arabs are with them. Djezzar, it is said, will join
them. Great disorder in Syria. “L’Armée d’Orient et surtout le Premier
Consul ont laissé ici de grands souvenirs. Son nom est en vénération et
on peut compter entièrement sur tous les habitants de quelque nation et
de quelque religion qu’ils soient. Ce que j’ai l’honneur de vous dire
est la plus exacte vérité.” If the Pasha accepts my mediation I shall be
in position to know the exact situation of the Beys.
(Arch. Aff. Et. Turquie, Corr. Pol., vol. 205.)