pon
the deprivation of Mehemet Ali as far as Egypt is concerned. Lord
Melbourne hopes that this transaction may lead to a general settlement
of the whole question.

Lord Melbourne feels himself much fatigued to-night. Though better, he
is yet far from well, and he knows by experience that this malady when
once it lays hold of him does not easily let go. It was so when he was
younger. He fears, therefore, that it will not be prudent for him to
leave town so early as Monday, but will do so as soon as he can with
safety.

[Footnote 46: Born 1782; at this time the Austrian Ambassador
in France.]

[Pageheading: MEHEMET ALI]

_Viscount Palmerston to Queen Victoria._

PANSHANGER, _11th October 1840._

Viscount Palmerston presents his humble duty to your Majesty.

Viscount Palmerston submits to your Majesty some interesting letters,
which he received some days ago from Paris, showing that there never
has been any real foundation for the alarm of war with France which
was felt by some persons in this country.

Viscount Palmerston also submits a despatch from Mons. Thiers to Mons.
Guizot which was communicated to him yesterday by Mons. Guizot,
and which seems to open a prospect of an amicable and satisfactory
understanding between France and the Four Powers.

Viscount Palmerston also submits a note from Mr Bulwer intimating that
the French Government would be contented with an arrangement which
should leave Mehemet Ali in possession of Egypt alone, without any
part of Syria, and Viscount Palmerston submits that such is the
arrangement which it would on all accounts be desirable to accomplish.
There seems reason to think that the bombardment of Beyrout[47] and
the deposal of Mehemet Ali by the Sultan have greatly contributed to
render the French more reasonable on this question, by exciting in
their minds an apprehension that unless some arrangement be speedily
effected, the operations now going on in the Levant will end in the
entire overthrow of Mehemet Ali.

[Footnote 47: On 10th October Ibrahim was defeated by
the Allies, and next day Beyrout was occupied by British,
Austrian, and Turkish troops.]

[Pageheading: GUIZOT AND THIERS]

_Viscount Melbourne to Queen Victoria._

SOUTH STREET, _11th October 1840._

Lord Melbourne presents his humble duty to your Majesty. He has not
written before to-day, because he had nothing new to lay before your
Majesty. Lord Melbourne anxiousl