1855-1856.
DEPARTURE FROM JERUSALEM--ARRIVAL IN ENGLAND--PROJECTED
RAILWAY FROM JAFFA TO JERUSALEM--LORD
PALMERSTON'S VIEWS--THE FIRMAN HHÀTI-HOOMÁYOON--LORD
STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE.
Besides the various acts of benevolence already accomplished by Sir
Moses in Jerusalem, there is one for which the community cannot be
sufficiently grateful.
He entreated His Excellency Kiamil Pasha, the Governor of Jerusalem,
to remove from the Jewish quarters the public slaughter house, which
had become extremely offensive in consequence of the vast quantity of
refuse which had accumulated ever since the time Jerusalem had been
conquered by the Khaleefa Omar.
The Pasha immediately acceded to his request, and the slaughter-house
was removed to a place outside the city walls. Before leaving the Holy
City Sir Moses promised the representatives of the community that
he would recommend the committee in London to erect a windmill in
Jerusalem, with a view of superseding the expensive method used there
for grinding corn. The poor, he said, should then have their flour at a
reduced price.
Having concluded his arrangements with the several congregations of
Jerusalem, and given his instructions to the representatives of Safed
and Tiberias, he prepared to depart from the Holy City.
The next day we left for Hebron, where the result of his enquiries as
to the conduct and management of the several institutions in that Holy
City was likewise most satisfactory. The disturbed state of the country
unfortunately occasioned much suffering to the inhabitants of this
district, which induced Sir Moses to devote a considerable sum to the
relief of the immediate necessities of the poor.
The country round Hebron being at that time much disturbed by the
revolutionary acts of Abd-er-rahhman, the notorious oppressor of the
Jews, Kiamil Pasha had encamped there, with a battalion of soldiers
and two brass field-pieces, to be in readiness to proceed against any
disloyal subjects of the Sultan.
He summoned the Sheikhs of the surrounding villages, and there were
several among them who declared that they would only pay their taxes
through Abd-er-rahhman, whom they considered as their local chief.
In consequence of this the Pasha proclaimed him a rebel, and nominated
his brother Salâmeh in his place as Nâzeer (chief inspector) of the
district.
The wife of Abd-er-rahhman and his sister, hearing of the presence of
Sir Moses, called on Lady Montefiore, entreating her to speak to Sir
Moses and obtain the removal of Salâmeh from his new office, which,
she said, belonged to her true and faithful husband. She also brought
a letter from Abd-er-rahhman himself, who called even on all the Jews
whom he so often ill-treated, to intercede on his behalf with Sir
Moses; but of course Sir Moses would not even see her. I had nearly
half-an-hour's conversation with her, when she and his sister made many
promises of the kindness with which Abd-er-rahhman would in future
treat the Hebron Hebrew community. I requested them to leave our camp
as soon as possible, as some of the Pasha's soldiers, who were near our
tents, might notice their presence, and consider themselves justified
in bringing them before the Pasha to make their representations to him.
Sir Moses being desirous of establishing a dispensary for the benefit
of all the poor inhabitants at Hebron, he wanted to purchase the field
where we were encamped, and therefore sent for the owner, who, on
being informed of the object for which the purchase of his field was
required, after long consideration gave the laconic reply, "Ten purses"
(equivalent to £50). Sir Moses agreed to the price, and gave orders
to have the deed of sale prepared. On the following day the owner of
the field made his appearance early in the morning. We thought he came
to tell us the hour when to appear before the Ckádee. To our great
surprise he said, on reconsideration, he thought he could not sell the
land under £500. Sir Moses would not hear of paying such an amount, and
the consequence was, that the poor of Hebron lost the dispensary, which
it was his intention to supply with medicines in the same way as he did
to the one at Jerusalem.
We left Hebron and proceeded to Jaffa, where some property was
purchased, with a house and well, affording an abundant supply of
excellent water. A number of poor Israelites were at once engaged upon
the land, which is known by the name of the "Biera," and is situated
near the estate of the Wurthemburg Templars. The amount distributed was
£10,932, 10s.
After a number of personal interviews, and after carefully considering
documentary evidence, Sir Moses and the other trustees arrived at the
conclusion that the future well-being of the Israelites in the Holy
Land must, under Providence, depend upon active support being accorded
to the institutions established there for the promotion of agriculture
and industrial pursuits.
We left Jaffa for Alexandria, where we arrived on the 1st of September.
Three of the Pasha's boats, specially sent to take Sir Moses and Lady
Montefiore, brought us on shore, where carriages were in readiness to
take us to the Palace, which His Highness, Said Pasha, now the ruling
Prince, had ordered to be prepared for their reception. On our entering
the Palace we met a great many attendants; the table was decked
with costly ornaments, and with numerous dishes filled with French
and Egyptian viands, the best wine and liqueurs, and ices of every
description. There was a French _chêf_ superintending the culinary
department, and his constant anxiety was to please Sir Moses and Lady
Montefiore.
The latter, however, had their own cook with them, who arranged
their daily meals, consisting of a few plain dishes. This man soon
pacified the _chêf_, and aided him during our stay in the Palace in
the selection of the dishes which were most palatable to His Highness'
guests.
Each of Sir Moses' party had his special attendants; from morning till
evening they would be in readiness to serve pipes, coffee, ices, &c.
Every now and then an officer from the Palace came to ask if we wished
for anything. Not knowing what to ask for, because every one really
had all he could possibly require, we said, rather by way of a joke
than anything else, "A tooth brush;" within half-an-hour's time there
appeared a whole box of tooth brushes, sufficient to open a store
with. Another of us thought he would ask for "a clothes brush," and a
quantity of these articles was within a short time at his disposal. One
of the officers gave us to understand that it would please His Highness
if we were to ask for some really valuable object to take with us as a
souvenir, but this we, of course, courteously declined to do.
The next day we were invited by His Highness to be present at the
investigation of the Leopold order, which the Emperor of Austria had
sent to His Highness in recognition of the attention he had shown to
the Archduke of Austria during his recent visit to Egypt. We met all
the dignitaries of state there, the consuls, and high officers of the
army. After the ceremony we were all presented to His Highness.
The reception given by His Highness to Sir Moses was most cordial; he
frequently expressed the pleasure it afforded him to see Sir Moses in
Egypt. He paid Sir Moses a long visit, and constantly showed him every
possible attention.
Sir Moses received numerous visits from representatives of educational,
charitable, and financial associations of every nationality in Egypt.
Among the latter there was Monsieur de Lesseps, who had a long
interview with him, explaining the importance of the Suez Canal. Sir
Moses, however, did not appear to regard the undertaking as likely to
prove successful from a financial point of view.
_Friday, September 7th._--We went on board the _Valetta_, and
ultimately arrived safely at Dover on Wednesday, September 19th.
The greater portion of September and October was spent partly at East
Cliff Lodge and partly at Park Lane, Sir Moses being busily employed
in reporting to the English and Turkish governments on the result of
his journey. He was again elected President of the Board of the London
Committee of Deputies of British Jews.
On the 4th of December he accompanied the Lord Mayor and the Court of
Lieutenancy to Buckingham Palace, to present an address to the King of
Sardinia, where, as seconder of the address, he was introduced to His
Majesty by the Lord Mayor; and at the end of the month Baroness Meyer
de Rothschild invited him to be present at the opening or consecration
of the Baronial Hall at Mentmore, where, he notes in his Diary, "Dr
Kalisch read prayers, also several psalms, and affixed mezuzas or
phylacteries to the doors. A splendid breakfast and dinner followed the
ceremony."
At the beginning of 1856 he paid much attention to the communications
received from the various committees appointed in the Holy Land to
superintend the institutions established there by the trustees of the
Appeal Fund; and conjointly with the Chief Rabbi he published the
second report, embodying the statements I have already given in one of
the preceding chapters.
The trustees, upon the suggestion of Sir Moses, made an agreement with
Messrs J. J. and T. R. Holman of Canterbury to erect a windmill at
Jerusalem.
He also attended meetings convened for the purpose of discussing a
scheme for a railway from Jaffa to Jerusalem.
Accompanied by the Secretary of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
and myself, he went to Count Strzelsky, at whose house he met the Hon.
Mr Ashley, Sir Culling Eardly, Mr Uzielli, Mr Baxter, Mr Barkley, and
Mr Redhouse, and remained in consultation with them for several hours.
_April 7th._--He had an interview with Lord Palmerston, of which he
gives full particulars in his Diary. To Sir Culling Eardly, who came to
him previously to their going to see his Lordship, he said, that "to
prevent the possibility of his (Sir Culling) being under any mistake
with regard to the object he (Sir Moses) had in view respecting the
railway to Jerusalem, it was his opinion that, when finished, it would
not induce fifty Jews to return to the Holy Land, but he had no doubt
it would greatly conduce to the improvement of their situation; that
he would have nothing whatever to do with it if the undertaking was
to be regarded as a sectarian measure. "The men we should have for
directors," he said to Sir Culling, "must be those whose names are well
known for wealth and connected with other railways, but on no account
with religious societies."
Sir Culling Eardly, understanding Sir Moses' object, agreed to his
views, and they both proceeded to Lord Palmerston. Sir Moses told his
Lordship what had been stated before, adding that he had desired Sir
Culling Eardly in the first instance to ascertain whether the project
had his approval, and if so, whether Lord Palmerston would grant a
royal charter limiting the liability of the shareholders to the amount
of their subscriptions; also whether he would make an application to
the Turkish government for its consent, and a grant of land on each
side of the road, or a guarantee of a minimum rate of interest, as
might be agreed upon.
Lord Palmerston heard Sir Moses most patiently, and said he considered
such a work would be extremely useful to the Turkish Government. It
would enable them to move their troops with greater facility, and the
country would become more settled; at present, not a month passed but
he received accounts from the consuls of outbreaks. It would also
increase the commerce of the country, which would improve the revenue
of the Porte and the commerce of England. He would have recommended Sir
Moses going to Paris to see Ali Pasha, but this morning he had heard
from Lord Clarendon that Ali Pasha was coming to England, and Sir Moses
would better see him here.
With regard to the Báláklava railway, he hoped Sir Moses would give him
a good price for it, though it would be some time before it could be
given up; upon which the latter said he hoped his Lordship would make
them a present of it.
"It was clear," Sir Moses writes in his Diary, "that Lord Palmerston is
very much in favour of the project."
_May 20th._--Sir Moses received a note from Sir Culling Eardly, saying
that the Grand Vizier, Ali Pasha, would receive the deputation on the
following day.
_May 21st._--At twelve o'clock he was at Claridge's Hotel to meet
the other members of the deputation, Sir Culling Eardly, the Hon. Mr
Ashley, Mr Oliphant, and some others. They were with the Grand Vizier
for nearly two hours, and he agreed to receive and to forward to
Constantinople their proposal for the railway, with either a grant of
land, or a guarantee for interest of capital, but not both.
It was arranged they should all meet on Friday to prepare a paper for
the Turkish Government.
_May 20th._--Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore went to Belvedere House,
the beautiful seat of Sir Culling and Lady Eardly, where they found
a very large party to meet the Grand Vizier, Ali Pasha, the Turkish
Ambassador, Musurus Pasha, the Danish Ambassador and his wife, and many
more distinguished persons. After luncheon there were several good
speeches respecting the proposed railway.
_May 31st._--Sir Culling Eardly had another interview with the Grand
Vizier; it being Sabbath, Sir Moses was prevented from going. In the
evening he received a note from Sir Culling, expressing his regret that
the Grand Vizier had appointed that day for the interview, and begging
that he would go on Monday to the Grand Vizier, as the latter would
leave soon. Count Strzelsky sent him the paper which he had agreed to
deliver to the Grand Vizier, and Sir Moses signed it.
_June 2nd._--He met Count Strzelsky at Clarendon Hotel, where he had an
audience of the Grand Vizier, to present to him the paper regarding the
Jerusalem Railway. He read it very carefully, and promised to recommend
it to the attention of the Sultan.
Sir John Macneil, whom Sir Moses saw a few months later, advised them
to have a railroad from Jaffa to Lidda, and thence a macadamized road
for carriages across the mountains. A railroad, he said, would cost
from £4000 to £4500 per mile, the other £150. He thought the Government
would not give land, and would guarantee only 6 per cent., as the road
would not pay.
Count Strzelsky then went to Constantinople, and on his return, about
the 8th December, he told Sir Moses, in the presence of Sir Culling
Eardly, Sir John Macneil, Mr Ashley, and others, all that had passed
there regarding the Jaffa railway; and that the Government would only
guarantee 6 per cent., and give no land.
Sir Francis Palgrave evinced much sympathy for the Jews in the Holy
Land, and had frequent interviews with Sir Moses to consider the best
mode of serving their cause. He thought they should be placed under the
immediate protection of the Sultan, like the Armenian Protestants. Sir
Francis continued for many years to take an interest in their welfare,
and Sir Moses always appreciated his suggestions, referring to the
improvement of their occupations.
Early in this year the Jewish Disabilities Bill again excited attention
both in and out of Parliament.
On April 9th Sir Moses writes:--"Whilst sitting under the gallery of
the House of Commons, together with Baron Lionel de Rothschild, Sir J.
L. Goldsmid, and the Lord Mayor, during the debate for altering the
oath so as to admit Jews as members of Parliament, I had the happiness
of witnessing another step towards the attainment of religious liberty.
The Bill was passed by a majority of 35."
On May 7th he was present at the banquet given at the Mansion House by
the Lord Mayor to Her Majesty's Ministers, and the day following he
joined the procession of the Court of Lieutenancy to Buckingham Palace,
to present addresses of congratulation to the Queen on the happy
restoration of peace. The bells rang merry peals at midnight, every one
was rejoiced, and there was no doubt of the truth of the good tidings.
As President of the London Committee of Deputies of the British Jews,
he was much occupied this year with the Dissenters' Marriage Bill,
containing a clause (constituting the twenty-second section), which
was objected to by the Board in a former Bill. He signed the address
to the King of Sardinia on his arrival in England; also a letter of
thanks to the British Government for the kindness extended by them to
some of the Hebrew Russian soldiers taken prisoners at Kertsch; and
finally brought under the notice of the Foreign Office a petition to
the Prince of Servia from two thousand Israelites dwelling under his
sway, to ameliorate their condition, and obtain all the rights of
citizenship. He also paid much attention to the Carmara case, referring
to the family of that name in Constantinople, who fell victims to
Sultan Máhmoud's Government. The chief of that family having had claims
of a considerable amount on the Sultan's Treasury, the debt appeared to
have been cancelled by the sudden execution of the creditor, at night,
in his own house, without trial. One night after he had retired to rest
there was a violent knocking at his door, and an officer, with whom he
was on friendly terms, entered. This officer had been charged, by the
Sultan's commands, to murder him with the aid of a band of authorised
assassins. The Sultan 'Abd-ool-Megid, on consideration of the injustice
done, allowed the family a pension.
On the occasion of the Sultan's issuing the firman, Hháti-hoomáyoon,
in which His Majesty granted equal rights and privileges to all his
subjects, irrespective of their religious creeds, Sir Moses received
the following letter from Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, dated February
23, 1856:--
"MY DEAR SIR MOSES,--Before this letter can reach your hands you
will have learnt from the public prints what amount of success has
finally crowned our long-continued efforts in the cause of humanity
and freedom of conscience. I take the liberty of sending you a copy
of the Sultan's firman, together with a French translation.
"I shall be disappointed if it does not afford you as much
satisfaction as I have derived from it myself.
"Excuse the haste in which I write, and pray, believe me, with every
good wish.--Your faithful, &c.,
"STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE."
Sir Moses, fully appreciating the attention paid to him by his
Lordship's most valued communication, addresses him as follows:--
"DEAR LORD STRATFORD DE REDCLIFFE,--The exceeding kindness and
consideration of your Excellency in gratifying me with your
communication of the 23rd ultimo, which I have to acknowledge with
the deepest and most cordial gratitude, are indeed such as I could
not have ventured to anticipate, considering the numerous, the
serious, and the complex matters which are constantly claiming your
Excellency's attention.
"I feel that it might be obtrusive to tender on the part of my
co-religionists any expression of thanks for your Excellency's noble
and triumphant efforts, by which they, in common with all the other
subjects of Turkey not professing the Mahomedan religion, have
obtained the inestimable boon conferred by the Sultan's firman,
copies of which you so kindly and promptly transmitted to me; for I
am sure nothing could enhance the gratification which your Excellency
must experience in having so successfully laboured to accomplish an
achievement of beneficence so grand in its scheme and so extended and
comprehensive in its operation.
"Permit me, then, simply to offer you my most sincere and heartfelt
congratulations.--I have the honour to be, &c.,
"MOSES MONTEFIORE."