r Laurin, the Austrian Consul, promised to call upon all the
other Consuls, and, if possible, prevail on them to sign a
recommendation to the Pasha to grant our request. Sir Moses did not
think he would succeed with Monsieur Cochelet or the Sardinian Consul.
Mr Briggs announced his intention of going to the former with the
original document that we prepared for the Pasha, and of using his
influence to remove Monsieur Cochelet's hostility.

_August 24th._--Dr Laidlaw found Lady Montefiore rather better and
tolerably free from fever.

CHAPTER XXX.

1840.

THE ENGLISH GOVERNMENT AND THE PASHA--MOHHAMMAD ALI AND THE
SLAVES--THE PASHA PROMISES TO RELEASE THE DAMASCUS PRISONERS--HE
GRANTS THEM AN "HONOURABLE" LIBERATION.

The French steamer from Marseilles arrived; our letters from London
gave confident hopes of peace being preserved. The Ministry was
stronger than ever, being supported by both Whigs and Tories. There
would be no half measures, and the Pasha would be obliged to submit.
Baron Charles de Rothschild wrote from Naples, that Lord Palmerston
had made a pacific speech on the 7th, and amicable relations would be
preserved with France. Baron Charles enclosed a letter of introduction
to the Neapolitan Consul for Sir Moses.

We immediately went there to present the same, and had a very long
conversation with him. He knew all about the Damascus affair, and the
painful reports of Sheriff Pasha. He told us that the latter was an
adopted son of Mohhammad Ali, who had had him educated with his own
children. Sheriff Pasha's own father had been an officer, and was
killed in battle when he (Sheriff) was only four months old. The
Consul observed that the trial of the Jews had been conducted
according to Turkish law, and any interference would be improper. He
had sent all the accounts to his Government. He considered the
business had been badly managed by the Consuls, but he could not sign
any paper, as it would do no good with the Pasha.

On the same day we received a letter from Constantinople, enclosing a
firman from the Sublime Porte in favour of the deputation of the Jews;
from the Grand Vizier to Mohhammad Ali, and to the Governor of the
Island of Rhodes.

We called on Colonel Hodges and Monsieur Laurin, who had both signed
the petition which Sir Moses and Monsieur Cremieux had prepared on
the preceding evening. The Consuls of the four Powers signed it very
readily, but Monsieur de Wagner called on Sir Mo