No. 479.
Mr. Comanos to Mr. Evarts.
Agency
and Consulate-General of the United States in
Egypt,
Cairo,
July 16, 1879. (Received August 21.)
No. 324.]
Sir: In his dispatch No 307, of the 27th of
June last, concerning the forced abdication of Ismail Pasha, Mr. Farman
mentions two telegrams that were received on the subject by Tewfik Pasha
and his father from Constantinople.
I now have the honor to inclose herewith translations of those telegrams,
and of the note sent by the Ottoman Government to its diplomatic
representatives, in which the dismissal (destitution) of Ismail Pasha is officially communicated to the
various governments.
The French text from which these translations are made appeared in the
Cairo weekly paper called “La Reforme,” in its issue of Monday, the 14th
of this month, No. 164. The note above mentioned refers to the [Page 1009] firman of 1873; this will be
found with Mr. Beardsley’s dispatch No. 150, of the 10th of November,
1873, on page 1178 of the volume on
Foreign Relations for 1874. It also makes mention of provisions of a
general and of a specific character; some of these will be found with
Mr. Beardsley’s dispatch No. 32, of November 15, 1872, on pp. 1122 and 1123 of the volume on Foreign
Relations for 1873, part 2.
I have, &c.,
N. D. COMANOS,
Vice-Consul-General in
Charge.
[Inclosure 1 in No.
324.]
Telegram of the Grand Vizier of Turkey to Tewfik
Pasha.
The Sultan warmly desires the prosperity of Egypt, as he has shown by
granting to that country numerous privileges. But the internal and
external difficulties that have recently arisen in that country have
rendered your father’s abdication, and your appointment, necessary.
You will doubtless govern for the good of the people. It is for this
purpose that you have been designated to succeed your father. The
firman of investiture shall be surely sent to you. A telegram has
been addressed to your father informing him that he has been
deprived of his functions. When you receive this telegram, convoke
the functionaries and the people and communicate to them its
contents. You will doubtless devote yourself to the prosperity of
the land. Receive my congratulations.
[Inclosure 2 in No.
324.]
Telegram of the Grand Vizier of Turkey to Ismail
Pasha, ex-Khedive of Egypt.
The difficulties of Egypt, both internal and external, have assumed
great importance, and the prolongation of the present state of
things would be dangerous both for Egypt and for the Ottoman
Government. The latter has always desired to maintain the
tranquillity and prosperity of the Egyptian people; and it is for
this reason that it granted you the firman that you now possess.
But if you were to remain any longer Khedive there would inevitably
result herefrom an aggravation of the difficulties. Consequently,
the council of ministers has decided, with the sanction of the
Sultan, to give the Khedivate to Tewfik Pasha, and a telegram to
this effect has been sent him. You are requested to give, over your
powers to your son, following the indications contained in the
firman.
[Inclosure 3 in No.
324.]
Note sent by the Sublime Porte to its diplomatic
representatives abroad on the occasion of the deposition of the
Khedive.
The events which have been for some time past unfolding themselves in
Egypt attract the most serious attention of His Imperial Majesty the
Sultan and of his government.
By voluntarily granting to Ismail Pasha the firman of the 13th of
Rabi-el-akkir, 1290 (June 9 or 10, 1873), this imperial government
gave a clear proof of its desire to contribute towards the moral and
material regeneration of Egypt. Unfortunately the reality has not
corresponded with the expectations of the government of His Majesty
the Sultan, and matters have come to such a pass that there remains
for His Majesty and his government no other alternative but to
undertake, by an act of sovereign justice, the extrication of Egypt
from a situation, the gravity of which is a mystery to no one.
Consequently His Imperial Majesty the Sultan, our sublime master, has
just announced, by an “iradé” based upon the unanimous report of his
council of ministers, the discharge of Ismail Pasha, and has
transmitted to his son Tewfik Pasha the high dignity wherewith he
was clothed.
This important decision of the imperial government has been already
made known in Egypt, and I desire you to bring it officially to the
knowledge of the government near which you are accredited. Your
excellency will not fail to add that nothing is farther from the
thoughts of His Majesty the Sultan and’his government, than the [Page 1010] project of taking
advantage of the complications of the moment to deprive Egypt of the
benefits of its institutions, which have been the object of general
solicitude, and which an experience of fourteen years has
strengthened.
The sovereign provisions which insured to that province and to the
family of Mohommed Ali the privileged position of the firman of 1257
(1842) remain in full vigor.
If the imperial government annuls the provisions of the firman of
1290 (1873), which have exerted such a baneful influence upon the
working of the Egyptian administration, the friendly governments
will, we feel sure, see therein nothing but another proof of the
solicitude of the sovereign for the welfare of Egypt.
Nor does the imperial government think of touching the conventions,
concluded by Ismail Pasha with foreign countries, within the limits
of the powers conferred upon him. To make use of the sovereign power
for protecting the independent administration of Egypt against its
own excesses, and take into account all acquired rights, such is the
aim and such will be the effect of the measure by which His Majesty
the Sultan puts an end to a crisis which might have assumed still
greater proportions.
We do not doubt that such also will be the sentiment of the
government near which you are accredited
We believe we are warranted in counting upon the well disposed
reception that this act of sovereignty will everywhere find, which
is destined to insure order and peace in so important a province as
Egypt, whose future was so seriously threatened.
