Mr. Hale to Mr. Seward.
Sir: It is officially announced that the imperial sanction of the Sublime Porte has been accorded to a change in the succession to the vice-regal throne of Egypt in favor of the family of the present Pacha, Ismail, grandson of Mehemet Ali.
Heretofore, under the settlement made in 1841, the succession has been hereditary in the family of Mehemet Ali, not passing always from father to son, but to the next oldest male member of the family. Thus after the death of Mehemet Ali, who outlived his son Ibrahim, his grandson Abbas, the nephew of Ibrahim, succeeded; he was followed by Saïd, uncle of Abbas; and Saïd was followed by Ismail, nephew of Saïd
Including Ibrahim, who ruled during the closing years of his father’s life, the succession has been Ibrahim, Abbas, Saïd, Ismail. The relation of each to his predecessor has been son, nephew, uncle, nephew, consecutively; the relation to Mehemet Ali, founder of the dynasty, has been son, grandson, son and grandson again.
According to this rule the next in succession would be Mustapha, a brother of Ismail, and like him a grandson of Mehemet Ali; and next after him Halim, a brother of Saïd, and himself a son of Mehemet Ali. There are also other members of the family who would succeed upon the failure of either of these, but they are all set aside by the new rule, which grants the succession to the family of Ismail Pacha.
I believe that the oldest of the sons of Ismail has thirteen years; but it has not as yet been announced here whether this son or another may be indicated for the succession. It is understood that the European powers, which were parties to the settlement of 1841, have expressed their acquiescence in the new arrangement.
It is generally believed that Ismail Pacha has paid heavily for this favor to his family. Besides private bribes the annual tribute of Egypt to the Porte is to be doubled, and a heavy contingent is to be provided for immediate service in the Turkish army in the principalities.
The arrangement, while it prevails, is a new guarantee for the separate political existence of Egypt, and is likely to prove advantageous to the country by consolidating the interests of the reigning family with those of the people. But its probable advantages are subject to two contingencies, namely, the quiet acquiescence of the parties excluded from the succession, and the life of the present Pacha until his son shall have attained an age to enable him to hold the reins of power. Plots and intrigues to restore the old order of succession, which to Moslems is the more natural, would have a baleful effect on the prosperity of the country. Worse results would follow if the demise of Ismail Pacha should happen at a period to require a regency. Imperial satraps sent from Constantinople would quickly devour the substance of Egypt, wipe out its hardly acquired civilization, and reproduce here the dull level of anarchy and lethargy which characterizes the purely Turkish provinces, and from which the genius of Mehemet Ali raised and freed this country. For the moment, however, we are at liberty to hope that no untoward accident may happen, and that the best results which are anticipated may follow from the new arrangements.
I recently made an excursion to the line of the Suez canal, and have formed a very favorable opinion of the works, which are prosecuted with energy, method [Page 273] and industry. The whole is under contract to responsible parties, of large means and experience, who expect to finish their work within prescribed periods, under heavy penalties for delay, and handsome premiums for acceleration. At Port Said, the western terminus of the canal, a considerable town has grown up. A safe anchorage has already been established there, while the artificial harbor, when completed—a superb work—promises to vie in safety and in convenience of access with some of those most frequented in the Mediterranean. The commerce of Suez has likewise greatly increased, and the great dry-dock at that port, built wholly of stones brought for the purpose from France, is now finished. Leaving out of view for the present the use of the ship canal, it cannot be doubted that there will be considerable traffic between Suez and Port Said, a route of only ninety miles, while the distance between Suez and Alexandria by way of Cairo is two hundred and twenty miles. It is even proposed to make a railway upon the canal bank between Suez and Port Said.
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I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward. Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.