Lord Broughamwished to ask the noble Viscount a question relating to Egypt and the Porte. He understood, that some time ago representations were made by the British Government both to the Sultan of Turkey and to Mehemet Ali, who was nominally the Governor of Egypt under the Porte, but in reality the Sovereign of that great country, requesting them to cease pursuing that system of mutual aggression on one another, which, if persisted in, could have a tendency only to produce the most frightful effects on themselves, as well as of endangering the peace of the East. He understood, that Mehemet Ali had pursued that course—had regularly complied with the requisition of the British Government—and had since directed his whole attention to the internal administration of his kingdom, in which great improvements had been effected. But he was informed, that the Porte, so far from acting in the same amicable spirit, had been arming itself, and that no less than 25,000 troops, 10,000 of one class, and 15,000 of another, had been raised since the intercession of the British Government; that 10,000 quintals of gunpowder had been laid in; a fleet had been manned, on board of which were several English officers; and that very large preparations had been made for raising artillery, and, above all, field artillery, to disturb the peace of the Levant. One reason why he felt the greatest interest in the affairs of Egypt was this—that whether it were to be continued nominally under the power of the Porte, and really to be an independent kingdom, or to be nominally as well as in reality an independent state under the dominion of Mehemet Ali, the great wisdom and great genius for affairs which had been shown by that monarch—whom he scrupled not to term the most distinguished of any individual upon any throne in the present time—had been such 326 as to attract the most perfect approval and admiration of all to whom his proceedings were known. Of those measures he would mention only two. First, he had founded a department of public instruction—an example, he (Lord Brougham) could wish were followed by some other powers not far off. He had had the honour, as well as other noble Lords, of making the acquaintance of Mehemet Ali's Minister of Public Instruction, when he was lately upon a visit to this country, where he profited much by observing all our establishments for education; and, secondly, he had put down by an ordinance, which, with his accustomed vigour, he had carried into effect, the abominable slave-trade which had formerly disgraced the kingdom of Egypt, and which was commonly called garzouah, and known in our Eastern dominions by a name meaning, in both instances slave-hunting, and using the means of war for the purpose of hunting our fellow creatures like beasts of the chase. They were hunted, and taken down the Nile to be sold in the markets of the Levant. Mehemet Ali had, by a truly just and humane ordinance, at once put down that abominable crime and nuisance. He, (Lord Brougham) therefore, felt the greatest interest in all that concerned so great and humane a prince. He hoped, therefore, that the same measure of justice would be dealt out to the Sultan on the one hand, as to Mehemet Ali on the other. Mehemet Ali had complied with the terms required of him; but he was informed, that the Sultan had thought proper to adopt a contrary course, after gaining all the benefit of our interposition with the Sovereign of Egypt.
§ Viscount Melbournesaid, it had been the most anxious desire of her Majesty's Government, in conjunction with the Allies of this country, to restrain each party from making any aggression upon the other, and to preserve, as far as it was in their power, a general peace in that quarter of the world. It was true, that both powers had acceded to the advice which had been given them, and he trusted, that the disposition to comply with it would continue. He thought, that the information which had reached the noble and learned Lord, that preparations were being made by the Sultan, was, if not totally unfounded, greatly exaggerated; nor did he believe, that the intentions suspected by the noble and learned Lord 327 were entertained by that Sovereign. But, whatever might be the case, the noble and learned Lord might be assured, that it would be the continued policy of her Majesty's Government, in conjunction with her Allies, to do the utmost in their power to restrain both parties from doing anything oppressive against each other, or to make attacks upon one another.
Lord Broughamsaid, that nothing could be more satisfactory than the spirit in which the noble Viscount had answered his question. He was quite confident, that the mere statement which the noble Viscount had made would have an excellent effect at Constantinople; he was equally certain, that the expression of approbation of the conduct of Mehemet Ali would have the same good effect, in inducing that prince to persevere in his present wise and virtuous course of policy. He would now hand to the noble Viscount the information he had received.