Mr. Hale to Mr. Seward
Sir : I have the honor to report that having selected the most favorable opportunity since the receipt of your instruction No. 29, under date of January 23, I communicated its substance on the 20th instant to his Highness the Pacha, at his summer palace of Mansourah. His Highness expressed muchpleasure at hearing of the gratification of the President and the token by which it is proposed to illustrate it, and desired me to say that he always has great pleasure when he can be in any way useful to the United States of America.
I took occasion of the same audience to communicate the substance of your instruction No. 27, under date of January 25, expressive of your interest in the Egyptian Parliament, with which his highness was naturally much pleased.
During the present winter his Highness has been the recipient of distinguished marks of honor on the part of two foreign governments, Admiral Lord Clarence Paget having come to invest him with the order of the Bath on the part of the Queen of England, and the Count de Castiglioni having come to invest him [Page 84] with the order of the Annonciade on the part of the King of Italy. His Highness had previously received the grand cordon of the French Legion of Honor, as well as the highest decorations conferred upon sovereigns from several other governments.
Although there has been much speculation here this winter on the subject of efforts understood to be making to render Egypt more completely independent of the Porte, or to render more conspicuous its relation of quasi independence, I have not heretofore alluded to the subject in my despatches, from want of information sufficiently certain to warrant its transmission. Recently, however, Nubar Pacha has been openly sent from Cairo to Constantinople to conduct the negotiation, and I am quite safe in saying that there are authentic advices which indicate the probable success of his mission. Among the demands of the Egyptian government is the right of accrediting diplomatic agents directly to foreign governments. * * * * *
I have the honor to be, sir, very respectfully your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.