Second Explosion at Acre—Prisoners sent to Beyrout—The Author ordered to
Alexandria with a Squadron—Letter from the Emir—Neglected State of
his Troops—English Commissary-General appointed—Excursion to the
Mountains—Padre Ryllo—French Priests in Lebanon—Visit to the Wife of
an Emir—Bad conduct of the Turks—Letters to Lord Ponsonby,
Palmerston, and Minto on the subject.
A day or two after the surrender of the ill-fated town of Acre, another
severe explosion took place, but fortunately few suffered. Captain
Collier had his leg broke, and Sir Charles Smith received a contusion on
the foot.
The prisoners were sent in the ships-of-war to Beyrout; and I was
directed to proceed there also, complete my water, and then take the
command of the squadron off Alexandria, which was to be increased to six
sail of the line. I had gained so much influence over the mountaineers
that I did not think this a wise measure; and the Admiralty seemed to
have been of the same opinion, for orders were afterwards sent for the
Powerful to return.
The Admiral had decided to winter in Marmorice Bay, and leave the Benbow
at Beyrout, Pique and Zebra at Acre, and the other small vessels and
steamers on various parts of the coast. We arrived at Beyrout on the 9th
of November, and a few days after were followed by the Admiral who, with
the rest of the squadron, anchored in St. George’s Bay, with the
exception of the Bellerophon, which remained off the town. The anchorage
at the latter place in winter is far from safe; the former is quite
open, but the holding-ground good. We found things in the same state;
Ibrahim was concentrated at Zachle and Malaka, and the Turkish troops
divided between Tripoli, Beyrout, Sidon, Acre, and Tyre. About this time
they must have amounted to 12,000. The Emir Bechir had been left to
himself to watch the mountains the best way he could, without either
forces or provisions, and why Ibrahim did not attack him, and march upon
Beyrout, is to me inexplicable. The Emir shall tell his own story.
“Ammanah, Nov. 11, 1840.
“Sir,
“We have received your favoured letter, and I thank you very much for
telling me so soon about Acre. The 3000 muskets which you sent me the
order for, I am sending for to-day, and I thank you for it. I also
inform you that the troops under my command have had no provisions for
three days, nor the horses any barley, and in fact nothing at all to
eat. I have written to the Pacha several times, and he has done nothing.
You know very well the troops cannot keep together without pay and
provisions, nor the horses without barley. In consequence of this, the
troops have returned to their homes; and if they remain, the enemy will
come into the mountains. Perhaps this may happen, and I write this to
you that you shall not blame me if it does.
“The bearer (Scheik Osman) will inform you plainly about all this, and I
leave every thing to you.”
I communicated this to Sir Charles Smith, who immediately gave orders to
the Turkish authorities to send the supplies that were wanted; they,
however, knew very little of the movements of a Commissariat, and the
probability is the orders were badly executed. Shortly after, a
Commissary General arrived from England to take charge of this
department.
Three days after my arrival at Beyrout, I made an excursion to the
mountains, and went over the ground whence we had so recently driven
Ibrahim Pacha. It was indeed a fine position; and how so renowned a
warrior as Ibrahim Pacha could have allowed himself to be driven from
such a post, is not easily to be accounted for. After getting possession
of the third position, there is a cavalry country; and had he taken the
precaution of ordering up a couple of squadrons of Souliman Pacha’s
horse, and attacked us unexpectedly, we should have lost many men before
we could have recovered from the disorder unavoidably caused by the
difficulty of the ascent. After going over the ground, we partook of the
hospitality of Padre Ryllo, at Bechfaya. He had been an officer in the
Polish army; and, after witnessing the destruction of his country,
became a priest, and took refuge in the mountains of Lebanon. He was a
most useful and intelligent man; had a large correspondence through the
country, and was most serviceable in procuring information. Besides the
Padre, there were half a dozen more priests in the convent, French and
Italians, who possessed great influence in the mountains, and turned
their attention to the education of the people. The French priests were,
generally speaking, in the interest of Mehemet Ali; and all his
correspondence with the mountains was carried on through them, and by
means of French vessels of war stationed on various parts of the coast.
We were well aware of this inconvenience; but it was very difficult, if
not impossible, to remedy it, without running the risk of collision with
France, which the Government was anxious to avoid.
After enjoying a good dinner, we mounted our horses, and proceeded along
the summit of the mountains leading to Brumanah. The greater part of the
villages in this district had been burnt by order of Ibrahim, after the
first affair of Ornagacuan, and it was out of my power to prevent it.
Brumanah was in ruins also; it had been destroyed by a party of
Albanians during the insurrection. We were well received by the wife of
the Emir of the place, whose name I do not recollect; she was mother to
the wife of the Emir Bechir Cassim. We had a tolerable dinner served on
a low table; and were afterwards invited into the ladies’ apartment,
where were seated the Princess and her two daughters, smoking their
pipes, dressed out in all their finery. The three ladies wore horns on
their heads, studded with jewels, about two feet and a half long, over
which were hung veils, the horn richly ornamented. The old lady had lost
her beauty, but not her dignity. The husband of the eldest daughter was
a prisoner in Nubia; and when she heard I was going off Alexandria, she
implored me to obtain his release; she was a determined smoker, and
frequently handed me her pipe. The second daughter was unmarried and
handsome, and also treated me occasionally with a whiff, which is
considered a high compliment on the mountains. After a good deal of
conversation, through the medium of an interpreter, we were served with
coffee; the ladies then retired, and we followed their example; but as
usual, were kept awake the greater part of the night by our numerous
bed-fellows, who appeared more inveterate in this château than we had
ever found them before. After breakfast we mounted our horses, and made
the best of our way to Beyrout.
The Turks now considering themselves pretty secure in Lebanon, took no
pains to gain the good will of the inhabitants; on the contrary, they
soon made them feel that they had gained nothing by the change of
masters. Before leaving Beyrout for Alexandria, I wrote to Lord Ponsonby
the following letter on the subject:—
“H.M.S. Powerful, Beyrout,
Nov. 14, 1840.
“My Lord,
“Things are going on here just as bad as possible. I do not mean as to
military affairs, for I know nothing about them, except that the troops
are divided between Beyrout, Sidon, Tyre, and Acre; but the Pacha is
disgusting everybody. The troops of the Grand Prince are left sometimes
without provisions, or any thing else, for days. I send you the last
letter I had from him. The appointments to the different places are made
without judgment; and I verily believe, if the war lasts, Ibrahim Pacha
will get a party in his favour. I understand Izzet openly says when
Ibrahim is put down, the next thing to do is to disarm the mountaineers.
This, I suspect, will be no easy matter; and I see no prospect of any
good coming out of all this to the Sultan; he ought at once to give them
the same government they have at Samos.
“I before mentioned to your Lordship that Sidon, Beyrout, and Tripoli
should be added to the government of the Grand Prince; and as the
mountaineers have land in the Bekaa, if that and Anti-Lebanon could be
also added to their government, they would be quite content, and be the
best supporters the Sultan could have. If Mehemet Ali was to offer it,
even now, and they could depend upon him, I verily believe he would be
supported.
“The Turks in Beyrout treat the mountaineers very ill, and they are
beginning to find they will not be a bit better off than they were. At
present I have great influence over them, and can make them do just what
I like, but I am unfortunately going to Alexandria, where I do not
believe anything can be done without troops, and there will be no one
here to look after their interests. My son is come out to join me; he is
Major in the 46th. I have some idea of sending him to the Emir, but he
ought to have Turkish rank; he has great talent, great application, and
knows a little Arabic, and will soon know more. If you could get him
Turkish rank, as Major-General, he would be most useful. There is
another thing that ought to be done immediately, viz., to send one who
could be _trusted_, with a sum of money, say 5000_l._, to distribute
amongst the mountaineers whose houses have been burnt. I was yesterday
at Bechfaya; there is a town near it entirely destroyed, and the
inhabitants without shelter or provisions, and the winter coming on;
they cannot go into the plain to cultivate their lands, and there will
certainly be a famine if magazines are not formed to provide against it.
“The garrison of Jaffa marched into Acre the other day, and 500
irregular horse are come in from Marash; I believe if Ibrahim was
attacked with vigour, we should get all the Egyptian army; after another
fortnight nothing more can be done, because the rains will set in.
Should anything turn up at Alexandria I shall not fail to keep your
Lordship informed. It is generally believed here that the French
squadron are gone to Toulon, in that case we shall probably go to Malta;
they are, I dare say, about something,—at least it looks like it,—or
they may have determined on war, and are concentrating their squadron,
which will be stronger than ours, till the arrival of the Britannia and
Howe. The Admiral, for the present, talks of going to Marmorice Bay, and
the ships from home are ordered to rendezvous there.
“Believe me, &c.,
“CHARLES NAPIER.”
“To the Right Hon. Lord Ponsonby.”
This letter I followed up by one to Lord Palmerston:—
“Powerful, Beyrout,
Nov. 14, 1840.
“My Lord,
“By this time your Lordship will have known of the defeat of Ibrahim
Pacha, and the total evacuation of Lebanon. Since then, Acre has fallen;
but no military operations have taken place. Troops are arriving every
day from Constantinople, and we cannot now have less than 12,000 men.
Ibrahim Pacha is two days’ march from here, and is watched by the
mountaineers only; and they are so neglected by the Pacha, that
sometimes they are without provisions for three days. I send you the
translation of the last letter I received from the Grand Prince; this is
not the first, second, or third time. The Pacha here is the worst person
that can be; and unless he is removed, there will be mischief. I have
written fully to Lord Ponsonby on the subject. Nothing would give
England so much influence here as giving Lebanon the same government as
Samos. The Grand Prince ought to be a Pacha; Sidon, Tripoli, and Beyrout
ought to be added to his government; and, if possible, the Bekaa and
Anti-Lebanon. This would be a prosperous country; but agreeable to the
present system, they are almost shut out from the sea. God knows how the
Sultan is to govern the other provinces; but if his Pachas are all like
the man here, they will be worse off than they were under Mehemet Ali;
and I verily believe, should the war last, he will have a party in his
favour, the Turks treat them so ill. If Mehemet Ali was a wise man, he
would do with the mountains what I have stated, and he would get a
strong party in his favour.
“I am going to Alexandria, which I am sorry for. I have great influence
here at present, and can make them do what I like; and would have been
of much more service here than off Alexandria, where nothing can be done
at this season.
“My son joined me the other day, which I believe you know; I should have
put him on my staff had I remained in command of the army. I have some
idea of sending him to the Grand Prince, where he would be of use; but I
fear it might create jealousies. I hope your Lordship will order him the
same fit-out and allowances with the other officers. I wrote to Sir John
Macdonald; at my request he sent him to me, and it would be hard if he
was put to personal expenses.
“The weather is still fine; but if a movement does not take place at
once, it will be too late, and the troops must remain in garrison all
the winter. Ibrahim will probably establish his head-quarters at
Balbeck, if he intends remaining in Syria; but as he has given up the
north, and lost Acre, I do not see what he is to gain by remaining in
this country.
“We hear the French fleet are gone to Toulon; I fear they are up to some
mischief. If this is true, we ought to be at Malta; but we never can,
with our present force, watch both the French and Egyptians. I do not,
however, apprehend the latter will proceed to sea; if they do, I shall
see what I can make of them. I believe the best thing to settle this
affair would be at once to say to Mehemet Ali, 'Withdraw from Syria, and
give up the Turkish fleet, and you shall keep Egypt.' If your Lordship
and the allies have any notion of that, try me as a negotiator with six
sail of the line, which I am to have, and I dare say I should succeed. I
believe Egypt would be just as well governed by him, as it would be by
one of the Turkish Pachas; he is an old man, and it is hardly worth
while risking a European war to turn him out.
“I have the honour to remain, &c.,
“CHARLES NAPIER.”
“To the Right Hon. Lord Palmerston.”
“P.S. If your Lordship expects a French war, for God’s sake full man the
ships, or we shall meet with disasters. I have frequently written on
this subject, both to Parker and Lord Minto.”
I next wrote as follows to Lord Minto:—
“H.M.S. Powerful, Beyrout,
November 14, 1840.
“My Lord,
“I learn, with great pleasure, from Sir William Parker, that my son is
to be employed, for which I beg to thank your Lordship. The defeat of
Ibrahim Pacha has led to greater events than I was aware of when I last
wrote to your Lordship. It appears that he immediately sent orders to
evacuate all the north, and blow up the batteries in the passes; at the
same time he evacuated Tripoli.
* * * * *
“Ibrahim is now at Zachle with about 12,000 men, including 3000 cavalry.
I believe there is some intention of moving, but I fear it will be too
late, as the rains are expected every day. We have had a very fine week,
but I do not think a forward movement will take place till the officers
arrive from England; it will be then too late.
* * * * *
“The Pacha they have sent here is the greatest —— on earth; the
appointments to the different posts are given without judgment, and I
believe, are bought right and left. The inhabitants are ill-treated by
the Turks, and begin to ask what they are to gain by the change. The
Pacha countenances all sorts of intrigues against the new Grand Prince,
who is left for days without provisions, and his men are forced to go to
their houses; and I verily believe he is in the pay of the old Prince
and his family, who are very rich, and are trying to regain their
places. I go into the mountains occasionally, where I have great
influence, and they all tell me this. Had I been Commander-in-Chief, at
my own risk and my own responsibility, I would have shipped old Izzet
Pacha of to Constantinople, which would at once have shown a
determination that oppression should not go on. I have written to Lord
Ponsonby, who has promised to have him removed, but if it is not done
speedily, it will be too late.
“The taking of Acre has had the same effect in the south. The garrison
of Jaffa has marched to Acre, and a body of Naplouses have come in from
the mountains. Five hundred irregular cavalry have marched in from
Marash. A vigorous attack on Zachle would finish the war which was so
happily begun. I hope the Admiral will not leave the coast: the
anchorage in St. George’s Bay is quite open, but the holding-ground is
good, and country vessels lay there all winter, therefore there can be
no reason why a fleet should not lay there. It never blows home.
“The Austrian squadron is to remain, and I hope ours will remain too. I
am to have six sail of the line off Alexandria. If I get them out, I
hope to give a good account of them. Blockading is of no use,
particularly when you have not the power to stop neutrals. One or two
ships there, to give notice if they come out, would be quite sufficient,
and the fleet, if they did come out, never would get back again. I most
sincerely think the best thing to do would be to leave Mehemet Ali in
Egypt; he will govern it better than a Turkish Pacha. Let him withdraw
from Syria, give up the whole of the fleet as a counter-balance for the
expense of the war, and pay the Syrians for the damage he has done them;
this would be clipping his wings, and punishing him with sufficient
severity. He is an old man, and it is hardly worth while to risk a
European war to turn him out. I wish Lord Palmerston would make me a
negotiator with six sail of the line under my orders; I think it is most
likely this affair of the East would be soon finished.
“I have the honour to be, &c.,
“CHARLES NAPIER.”
“To the Right Hon. Lord Minto.”