CHAP. bassador at the Court of London, to meet him at the XXXII. Chateau d'Eu in Normandy; and he had there several 1840. long and confidential conferences with that accomplished diplomatist on the affairs of Europe in general, and the views of the English Cabinet in particular. From him he learned what was the real truth--that the British Government had been unwillingly drawn into this contest from dread of the effect of any weakening of Turkey in augmenting the preponderance of Russia in the East; that it was sincerely inclined to the French alliance, which it regarded as the best security for the peace of Europe; and that as soon as the Eastern Question was settled, it would gladly revert to the most friendly terms with the French Government. At the same time, Count Appony and M. d'Arnim strongly represented that their courts were sincerely averse to a Continental war, but much alarmed at the magnitude of the armaments preparing in France; and that unless they were discontinued, the German Confederacy must arm also, in which case no one could guarantee even for a day the peace of Europe. Impressed with these ideas, the King resolved to persevere in his pacific course, and as the only means of securing it, to recall the French fleet from the Levant, and to make M. Guizot Prime Minister in lieu of M. 1 Cap. X. Thiers. Orders were accordingly sent out to Admiral 252, 253; Ann. Hist. Lalande, who commanded in the Levant, to return to Napoli di Romania; and the French squadron, in deep dejection, set sail for the westward at the very time when xxiii. 514, 515. quelque chance d'obtenir un peu plus que l'Egypte, s'il entre franchement dans cette voie. La France alors redoublera d'efforts pour que les décisions à intervenir soient aussi favorables au Viceroi que la situation le comporte. Mais s'il est dans ses intentions de risquer le tout pour le tout, de risquer l'Egypte pour la Syrie, s'il espère entraîner la France il tombera dans une dangereuse illusion. Personne ne peut entraîner la France dans une guerre interminable pour une cause qu'elle ne considère pas comme suffisante pour lui faire prendre une telle résolution. Le plus grand service que la France puisse rendre à Méhémet Ali est de lui dire la vérité tout entière."-M. GUIZOT à Consul-Général d'Alexandrie, Nov. 9, 1840; CAPEFIGUE, X. 301, 302. the English fleet was divided, and making sail for Alex- CHAP. andria and Beyrout.* XXXII. 1840. 69. note of Nov. The change which had occurred in the councils of France distinctly appeared in a note of M. Thiers to the M. Thiers' allied Cabinets on 8th October. In that document the 8, and its French Minister receded altogether from the demand of results. the pachalic of Syria for Mehemet Ali, and contented himself with protesting that "in no event would the dethronement pronounced by the Porte against the Pacha of Egypt be tolerated by the French Government." None of the Allies were contending for that extreme measure; so that, from this moment, the divergence of France from the allied Powers on the Eastern Question was at an end, and the danger to the peace of Europe had blown over. "The dearest interests of Europe," said M. Thiers, "are wound up with the preservation of the Turkish Empire. That empire, retained in a state of debasement, can serve no other end but to contribute to the aggrandisement of the neighbouring States, to the destruction of the balance of power, and its ruin would immediately induce changes which would alter the face of the whole world. France, and the other Powers with her, have so thoroughly understood that eventual result, that, in concert with her allies, she has constantly and honestly contended for the preservation of the Ottoman Empire, how deeply soever the interests of some of them may be wound up in the preservation or ruin of that empire. But the shores of the Black Sea are not "Ce ne fut pas sans un vif déplaisir que l'on vit abandonner ainsi le théâtre des évènemens et le mécontentement général fut d'autant plus grand que l'on s'attendait à suivre l'Escadre Anglaise en Syrie, que la possibilité d'une collision avait excité l'enthousiasme des équipages, et que chacun était prêt à faire dignement son devoir, soutenir l'honneur du Pavillon, et venger cette longue et cruelle série d'injures et de défaites qui font, et feront toujours battre le cœur de tous les marins en présence des Anglais. Ce fut donc un profond sentiment d'abattement et de honte qui remplaça ces généreux élans pendant tout le temps que l'escadre resta, pour ainsi dire, cachée et impuissante dans la triste baie de Salamine."-Note d'un Officier supérieur à bord de la Flotte Francaise, Oct. 17, 1840; CAPEFIGUE, X. 254, note. CHAP. a more integral part of the Ottoman Empire than those XXXII. of the Red Sea; and it is as essential to guarantee the 1840. independence of Egypt and Syria as of the Bosphorus or the Dardanelles." But the Allies were entirely in accordance with France on this point, and were determined to enforce its observance by the Sultan; so that there was no longer, after a rupture had been so near, any cause of difference between them.1 * 1 Cap. x. 258, 260. 70. Thiers, who by M. Guizot. Although, however, the moment for action had passed, Fall of M. and M. Thiers, by withdrawing the French fleet from the is succeeded Levant, had in effect yielded the point in dispute in the East to the allied Powers, yet he could not bring himself to abandon the illusion of a warlike propagandism in Europe, and insisted not only on raising the regular army to 500,000 men, and calling out on permanent duty 300,000 national guards, but on a bill of indemnity from the Chambers sanctioning all the warlike expenses already incurred. The majority of the Cabinet went with the Prime Minister in these demands, and insisted farther that the speech from the throne on the opening of the Chambers should announce them, and declare the resolution of the King "to maintain and leave to his son the sacred deposit of the national independence which the French Revolution had placed in his hands." The King hesitated, as well he might, at being a party to such announcements. He knew that the ultimatum of the allied Powers had been delivered, and that the continuance of the warlike preparations of France would be the signal for a general war.2 He refused, therefore, to Oct 29. 2 Cap. x. 260, 266. "Le Gouvernement de sa Majesté pense qu'il serait convenable que les représentans des quatre Puissances à Constantinople reçussent l'ordre de se rendre auprès du Ministre Turc, et de lui déclarer que leurs Gouvernemens, par l'application de l'article 7 de l'acte separé du Traité du 15 Juillet, recommandent vivement au Sultan de vouloir bien dans le cas où Méhémet Ali ferait promptement sa soumission, et consentirait à rendre la flotte et à retirer ses troupes de la Syrie, d'Adana, de Candie, et des Villes Saintes, nonseulement à réintégrer Méhémet Ali dans son pachalik d'Egypte, mais à lui accorder en outre l'hérédité de ce pachalik."-LORD PALMERSTON à LORD PONSONBY, Ambassadeur Anglais à Constantinople, Oct. 15, 1840; Capefigue, X. 260, note. agree to such a speech on the raising of the armaments proposed; and the consequence was, that M. Thiers and the whole Cabinet tendered their resignations, which were accepted, and M. Guizot and Marshal Soult were sent for to form a new Cabinet. CHAP. XXXII. 1840. 71. fleet steers great suc Before the effect of this decisive change in French councils could be felt in European diplomacy, the Eastern The British Question had in effect been resolved by still more power- for Acre, ful negotiators. The cannon of the British fleet had and gains torn down the ramparts of ACRE; they had done that cesses. which the arms of Napoleon had left undone. Delivered from the inopportune presence of the French fleet, the British Admiral steered for that far-famed fortress, and the standards of England were again seen on the theatre of the greatest exploits of Richard Coeur-de-Lion, the greatest reverse in the early career of Napoleon. On the 25th September the British fleet stood along the coast of Syria towards the south, while a land force 12,000 strong, of which the Admiral himself took the command, landed and stormed Sidon on the 26th, though garrisoned by 3000 men. On this occasion Sept. 26. the Archduke Ferdinand of Austria was the first on the breach. Upon this success, the army of Ibrahim Pacha, which numbered 14,000 men, and had been much shaken by the fall of Beyrout, dispersed, and a large part joined the Allies. Ibrahim himself retired, or rather fled from Balbec, where he had taken post, attended only by a part of his troops, to Damascus. Meanwhile the ports of Syria were closely blockaded; and on the 10th of Oct. 10. October an engagement took place between the allied forces under Admiral Napier and those remaining to Ibrahim, in which the latter were completely defeated, with the loss of 5000 prisoners, besides 5000 who had previously deserted. Finding it impossible to withstand the allied forces, the Emir Bechir, a strong partisan of Ibrahim's, had previously concluded a convention, where- Oct. 5. by he agreed, on condition of having his life and pro XXXII. 1840. 1 Admiral CHAP. perty secured, to return to his allegiance to the Sultan, whom he immediately joined with all his forces. He was soon after received on board an English steamer at Sidon. These successes opened the gates of the Lebanon, the intrepid mountaineers of which, smarting under the systematic exactions of Ibrahim Pacha, all rose, and, issuing from their passes, flocked down to the sea-coast for Stopford's arms, which were quickly and amply supplied by the 20, 1840; boats of the British squadron. The progress of the allied fleet and army was now a continued triumph. In 25 and 29, a short time, Tripoli, Tortosa, and Latakia opened 1840; Ann. their gates, and no place of strength remained to the 537, 546. Egyptians on the coast but Acre, before which the allied fleets appeared on the 26th October. 1 Desp., Sept. Admiral Napier's Reg. 1840, 72. ment of Acre. This far-famed fortress was at this time garrisoned by Bombard- 4500 of Ibrahim's best troops, besides 800 cavalry, and its successful resistance to Napoleon had led to a very general opinion that it was impregnable. A summons to capitulate having been disregarded, and 3000 marines and Turkish troops embarked on board the squadron, the whole was arranged in two divisions by Admiral Stopford, who had the chief command. The attack was directed against the west lines and south face of the works. The former were assailed by the Princess Charlotte, Powerful, Bellerophon, Revenge, Thunder, and Pique, under the immediate command of Admiral Napier, with the Phoenix steamer; the latter by the Edinburgh, Benbow, Castor, Carysfort, Talbot, Wasp, and Hazard. The steamers Gorgon, Vesuvius, and Stromboli took a position a little in the rear, and fired shells with great rapidity and precision into the fortress. Admiral Sir R. Stopford took the lead, and commenced the attack in the Phoenix steamer, though his flag still remained flying on board the Princess Charlotte. Admiral Napier, his worthy colleague, led the way to the northward in the Powerful. The Turkish ship of the line and frigates, with the Austrian vessels, stood towards the south. The |