I should observe, that an apprehension is entertained as if the Imaum of Muscat was not unfavourable to the Wahaby. It would be essential to procure and transmit to me accurate information on this matter, and to suggest any means which might be advisable towards putting an end to such a connexion.

On the whole, you will, I flatter myself, agree with me in opinion, that the affairs of Bagdad have thus undergone a very ample and very important discussion, and that the intentions of the Porte for its tranquillity and prosperity are highly satisfactory, whether in reference to the settlement of its Government, or to the plans in agitation for its immediate neighbourhood.

The Porte seem well apprized of the conduct of the Russians on the banks of the Caspian Sea, at Tiflis and Rumbec, and at Kars. They consider these operations as directed certainly against the interests of Persia, but not on any extensive scale of ambition, or as likely to be carried beyond their present progress. Explanations on these matters have passed between Russia and Turkey, which leave no apprehension on the minds of the Ottoman Government.

It remains for me only to say, that I forward the whole of the communications in this letter to you under the strictest confidence. I am confident that you will observe every degree of discretion, in stating what you may think necessary to make known to Ali Pasha of the discussions immediately referring to his nomination. I convey to you what regards the missions and views relating to the Persians and Wahaby, the impressions of the Porte on the subject of the Russians, as points of great interest and benefit for you to be informed of, but I should hope there will be no necessity for you to make mention of them.

I have the honour to be, &c.,

ELGIN.

Lord Elgin to the Secret Committee of the Court of Directors of the Honourable East India Company.

Constantinople, February 12, 1802. Honourable Sirs-The Marquis Wellesley has done me the honour to send under flying seal for my perusal the annexed series of Papers, which are to convey to you the particulars and the result of Captain Malcolm's mission to the Court of Persia. While I congratulate your Honourable Committee upon an event, from which the Government of India so reasonably expects to derive important political and commercial advantages, I must be allowed to acknowledge how highly gratified I feel myself by this mark of confidence from the Governor-General, whose opinion of the part which I have had to act in reference to Captain Malcolm's mission will best appear to you by a perusal of a former letter from his Excellency to me on the subject, a copy of which I subjoin.

The Marquis Wellesley, by this opportunity, has further made me acquainted with the objects of Sir Home Popham's mission, and with the instructions which his Excellency had drawn up for that officer, dated October 16th, at Patna. By a letter, written in the month of June last, Sir Home Popham did make a general communication to me of the commands which you had laid upon him, and at that time requested my interference with the Porte in reference to the Sheriffe of Mecca. The prospect which I entertained, soon after the receipt of this letter, of being able to proceed in person to Egypt, rendered it on every account more eligible to take with me directions upon that subject to the Vizir, rather than trust solely to any efficacy from an official order from Constantinople; and accordingly I lost no time in acquainting Sir Home Popham with my projects, requesting an interview with him at Cairo. The late political occurrences in Europe having necessarily detained me here, Mr. Straton, the Secretary of the Embassy, has proceeded to Egypt, amply informed on the

relative situation of the Porte and the Sheriffe of Mecca, and charged with strong recommendations on the subject of Sir Home Popham's mission, as well as with a direct firman from the Porte, a translation of which I enclose.

Meanwhile, I am sorry to say that the influence of the Porte over the Sheriffe of Mecca has not yet undergone any change whatever, subsequently to the final conquest of Egypt; nor have I any recent intelligence to lead me to decide whether Sir Home Popham will now find the French influence abated, at the court of the Sheriffe, nor how far other Arab powers on the borders of the Red Sea may be inclined to listen to our proposals.

On the more weighty consideration, "how far such establishments, if attainable, would be beneficial to our interests," the communications which have been made to me by the officers on that station have led me distinctly to the opinion that the promotion of trade in general through the Red Sea would be prejudicial to us; that, with the claims we may now advance, we ought to secure the monopoly, and the power of regulating such commerce from India as is necessary for the consumption of the countries bordering on the Red Sea; and that it would be highly advisable to make a settlement at such a place as Aden, safe and accessible at all times to our shipping, and from whence the intricate navigation of the Red Sea could more beneficially be carried on by the dows and other small vessels of the country. A post of this sort, I may be allowed to add, would of itself be a great security against any future attempt of the French to affect our East India possessions by the way of the Eastern provinces of Turkey.

The island of Kameran had indeed appeared to the late Admiral Blankett so desirable an acquisition in allusion to the views of the enemy, that, on an application to that effect, I obtained eighteen months ago from the Porte a general recommendation and safeguard for our troops, should they land on any point within the Red Sea. But I imagine Aden to be

equally useful in a military point of view, and much more so commercially, nor would an establishment there create jealousy as much as it would do at Kameran.

Having had frequent communications, direct and indirect, to make on these subjects, I had entertained hopes that instructions would have been given to me, in virtue of which I might have ensured the good-will and influence of the Porte in favour of the precise objects which the East India Company wished to attain after our conquest of Egypt; but, being without authority or information to that effect, I was obliged, when the period arrived, to be satisfied with obtaining from the Porte an offer to permit the conveyance of the East India correspondence by Suez and the Red Sea, and to encourage the commerce from the British possessions in India with the Red Sea. This offer was sent to England in Angust, 1801. I am in daily expectation of answers upon it.

I avail myself of this opportunity of writing, to advert to some other subjects relating to the affairs of the East India Company, to which I have taken upon myself to apply the influence which the eventful circumstances of my mission have enabled me to enjoy at this court.

The first object has been that of facilitating the conveyance of your packets through the Turkish dominions. Nothing can exceed the regularity and zeal which your agents at Bagdad, Bussorah, and Aleppo, uniformly exhibit. They have left me nothing to do further than showing occasional attentions, and sending trifling presents to the governors of their residences, by the advice and through the medium of those gentlemen. The direct road from hence to Aleppo was indeed intercepted by the rebellion of one Kutchuk Ali, at Payass; but I found means to become mediator between him and the Porte; and I am happy to find that, after a long negociation, my success has been so complete, that several Tatars have already resumed that route; and the Porte, after admitting him into favour, have re-established the post-horses, &c., through his district.

To the westward of Constantinople, the provinces have been, and continue to be, in a state of such general confusion, that the ordinary post, which is exclusively in the hands of the Austrian Government, had become both dangerous and uncertain. Mr. Tooke, whose hearty and unremitting care to your concerns had devised means to diminish the inconveniences as much as possible, found himself occasionally under great embarrassment. In fact, by employing the German post alone, he had the use of only one out of two routes from hence to Vienna; and, besides, it is very obvious that, even should expedition be attainable, still, by forwarding the packets from hence by an Austrian conveyance, the space from Constantinople to Vienna had a disadvantage over every other part of the distance between India and England, as no security can be had against the letters being opened while in Austrian hands. These reflections applied particularly to my communications with Government, and accordingly induced me to establish an agent at Bucharest, with an English messenger, who proceeds regularly on the 1st of every month to Vienna, whence he sets out on his return the 15th. From hence to Bucharest, Tatars carry on the communications, as through the rest of Turkey.

This establishment, which early received the sanction of Government, and has been so useful during the Egyptian expedition as to have made me increase the number of regular messengers on that line, may not perhaps be deemed requisite solely for the communications with this embassy after the conclusion of peace. Meanwhile, your Honourable Committee will observe from the enclosure (marked No. 2) that the Marquis Wellesley expresses the greatest interest in its continuance; and I therefore feel it incumbent upon me to bring the matter under your consideration, as an arrangement that has been found equally necessary and beneficial, and as supplying a great desideratum in the system of overland conveyance now in existence between England and India.