By orders from the direction of the press, the newspapers have been
allowed to publish nothing on the subject until yesterday.
It now transpires that Ismail Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt, was deposed by
imperial irade of the Sultan, June 26, 1879, and his eldest son, Prince
Mehemet Tewfik Pasha, nominated his successor.
Copies are inclosed of the several instruments by which this change has
been effected.
I shall leave to the agent and consul-general of the United States at
Cairo to furnish the local proceedings, as well as the causes and
probable consequences of this grave proceeding. He must know the
character of the new viceroy and be able to predict the effect of his
administration both upon the producers and tax-payers of Egypt and upon
her foreign creditors. These points are discussed at this capital and
elsewhere, I suppose, but generally with limited means of
information.
The late Khedive is expected to come here. He has a very handsome palace
on the Bosphorus, and other valuable property in this part of the
empire.
[Inclosure 1 in No.
316.—Translation.]
Papers relating to the deposition of the
Khedive.
Ismail Pasha replied to the announcement of his deposition by the
following telegram, addressed to the Mabeiu, the imperial palace at
Yeldiz-Kiosk, Constantinople? and also dated Thursday, June 26:
“I have received the telegram of his highness the Grand Vizier
apprising me of the imperial iradé, in virtue of which I am enjoined
to withdraw from the conduct of the public affairs of Egypt.
“On every occasion, and in all things, I have had no other desire
than to satisfy my sovereign.
“I therefore humbly obey the imperial iradé with which I have been
visited, and I transfer the direction of affairs to my son, Mehemet
Tewfik Pasha.
“Wherever I may be, I recall what I owe to His Majesty the Sultan,
and I desire to come to Constantinople to prostrate myself at the
foot of the imperial throne, and live under the protecting ægis of
the Sultan.
“I venture to hope that His Majesty will deign to accede to my humble
request, and I throw myself upon his high magnanimity.”
The deposition of Ismail Pasha.
We complete to-day the translation in English of the state documents
relating to the deposition of Ismail Pasha by the Sultan from the
dignity of Khedive of Egypt, and the nomination of his highness’
eldest son, Prince Mehemet Tewfik, as his successor.
The following is the telegraphic dispatch of the grand vizier, dated
the 6th Redjeb (Thursday, June 26), addressed to Ismail Pasha, and
apprising him of his deposition:
“The difficulties, both internal and external, which have manifested
themselves for some time past in Egypt, have reached such a pitch of
gravity that the continuation of such a state of things cannot but
be attended by a series of embarrassments and dangers for Egypt and
the Ottoman Empire. The duty of protecting order and tranquillity,
and of considering the best means of insuring the welfare of the
people has always devolved upon the Imperial Government.
“Seeing, therefore, that the imperial firmans which have been issued
concerning the administration of Egypt had solely this object in
view; seeing that it has been clearly established that the
maintenance of your highness in the dignity of Khedive could
henceforward only result in increasing and aggravating existing
difficulties, the council of ministers have decided to nominate to
the dignity of Khedive His Highness Tewfik Pasha. An imperial iradé
having sanctioned this decision, Tewfik Pasha has been informed of
his nomination by another telegraphic dispatch.
“On receipt of the present telegram, you will have to withdraw from
the conduct of affairs, in conformity with the order and firman of
His Majesty.
“We enjoin upon you the necessity of this.”
The grand vizier’s telegram to Mehemet Tewfik Pasha, of the same
date, says:
“His Majesty the Sultan, in his high solicitude for insuring in every
way the prosperity and development of Egypt, an integral part of the
Ottoman Empire, has granted to that province special administrative
provisions and privileges.
“Nevertheless, the internal and external difficulties which prevail
for some time past in the administration of Egypt have acquired such
a degree of gravity that they have necessitated the dismissal of
your illustrious father, Ismail Pasha.
“Your qualities, your uprightness, and your wisdom being a pledge
that your highness will administer the country to the satisfaction
of His Majesty the Sultan, and realize the security and tranquillity
of the population, His Majesty, relying upon your capacity, confers
upon you the dignity of Khedive of Egypt; such being the imperial
iradé, the imperial firman of your investiture will be remitted to
you with the customary ceremonial.
“Ismail Pasha, being relieved of his functions, has been called upon
by telegraph to withdraw from the affairs of government.
Consequently, upon the receipt of this dispatch, you will promulgate
this imperial iradé, and communicate it to all the ulemas, generals,
functionaries, and notables, as also to the whole population, and
you will assume the conduct of governmental business.
“Your highness justly deserves to be raised to this dignity, and your
nomination is regarded as the harbinger of a new era of good
administration, order, and progress for Egypt. We reiterate our
hopes and prayers for your success, and we beg of you to accept our
congratulations.”
The events which have been occurring for some time past in Egypt have
attracted the attention of His Majesty the Sultan and his
government.
The Sublime Porte, by the firman which it delivered to His Highness
Ismail Pasha,
[Page 981]
on the 13th
Rebiul-ewel, 1290, showed to what a degree it desired the material
and moral progress of Egypt.
Nevertheless, in consideration of the turn which affairs have taken
in that province, His Majesty the Sultan finds himself compelled to
take measures with regard to this question. Wherefore, upon the
report presented to His Majesty by his council of ministers, and
unanimously approved of by them, His Majesty has decided to dismiss
Ismail Pasha, and to replace him by his son, Mehemet Tewfik Pasha.
This important decision of the Imperial Government is communicated
to Egypt. I beg of you to communicate it to the government to which
you are accredited.
In doing so, you will add that His Imperial Majesty the Sultan has no
intention of turning-existing difficulties to the purpose of
depriving Egypt of an administration of which the advantages have
been recognized for the last forty years. The privileges which have
been granted to Egypt, and to the family of Mehemet Mi Pasha, by the
imperial firman of 1257, will remain in force as hitherto. If the
Imperial Government suppresses the provisions of the firman of 1290,
which has been the cause of so many evils, we are justified in
believing that the great powers will regard this fact as a further
proof of the good intentions which His Majesty the Sultan entertains
for that province. The Imperial Government has no intention of
annulling the conventions which Ismail Pasha has concluded, within
the limits of his rights; but it has simply decided upon restoring
an equilibrium to that privileged province, upon using its influence
to put an end to abuses which have attained considerable
proportions, and by the exercise of its rights to stay the present
crisis before it becomes more intense.
The government to which you are accredited will, we believe, be of
the same opinion as the Sublime Porte, and we hope that this
imperial decision which is promulgated with the object of securing
peace and tranquillity in so important a province as Egypt, will be
everywhere well received.—[From the daily Levant Herald of the 27–28
June, 1879.
