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ing account of Napoleon's demeanour upon receiving the news of the naval victory by which Nelson destroyed his fleet. He was in the Marshal's tent in the camp of Kauka, between Belbeys and Cairo, when this fatal intelligence reached him in Kleber's despatches. He received it with the greatest magnanimity-did not affect to underrate the importance and extent of the loss -saw himself at once cut off from Europe and thrown upon his own resources-and declared that it was now necessary to make Egypt resume the ancient position, as a first-rate kingdom, for which her natural advantages fitted her. With courage and good-will,' cried he, there is no limits that one may not reach, no result but what one may hope for.'-'The great affair for us, the most important thing, is to preserve the army from a 'discouragement which would be the germ of its destruction. 'Let us know how to raise ourselves upon the wreck of the tempest, and the waves will be conquered. We are perhaps destined 'to renew the strength of the East, and to place our names by the 'side of those who hold the most illustrious places in the annals of 'ancient history, and of the middle ages.' It is to be regretted that he showed little of this magnanimity in accounting for the defeat; he throws the whole blame off his own shoulders on those of the gallant and unfortunate Brueys, whom he condemned for having disobeyed orders to cruise as far as Corfu, which our author asserts he never had received. There is not perhaps, in his whole history, any passage more discreditable to his memory than this attempt basely to cast upon a dead man the blame which was entirely his own;-of having by gross want of arrangement exposed his fleet to destruction.

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The Marshal gives his opinion in detail, and supported by reasons apparently satisfactory, on the very great incapacity shown by Menou in resisting the expedition under Generals Abercromby and Hutchinson. It would seem that nothing but the most unpardonable blunder could have ruined the French army in Egypt, or saved ours from destruction. Most of the author's military remarks are, as might be expected, of a sound, practical, and valuable description. The following observations upon the means best adapted for rallying French troops that are panicstricken, are the result of actual experience, and are interesting accordingly: When, in the midst of the combat, French sol'diers are momentarily in disorder, it is not by reprimands, 'imprecations, or threats, that one succeeds in rallying them: it 'is by presenting yourself to them with calmness-speaking to 'them with firmness, but with gentleness; it is by setting the 'example, that you stop them; that you decide them to face the enemy, and that you re-conduct them to the fight. I have more

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'than once experienced this, and I have acquired the proof of it. Their minds are thus tranquillized, their imaginations 'calmed; sentiments of duty and honour resume their empire, ' and the brave soldier re-appears.'-This passage is replete with excellent sense and sound philosophy, as well as grounded upon actual experience; and it demonstrates the folly of those who have represented General Marmont as a man of mean intellect. It is another proof of the same kind, that he has so well denoted the necessity to French soldiers, above all others, of being led by a man in whose skill and fortune they can have confidence ;because our soldiers, spirituel and intelligent, quickly appre'ciate their chief, and know beforehand if his capacity promises them success. When they suspect the contrary, they then grudge 6 a sacrifice which would be without utility. The man who would ' have been happy to make it with the hope of victory, becomes 'unwilling to expose himself; and one cannot blame him. 'does not go into the army to be killed; but to fight the enemy and to conquer him, with the chance of being killed one's-self. 'When one is convinced that success is impossible, one reserves himself for another occasion. With French soldiers, to inspire 'confidence is the first thing a general ought to aim at;-talent 'will only succeed afterwards. It is certainly true that continued success is the result of ability, and that the confidence which results from it, has thus talent for its groundwork.'-(III. 208.) At Cairo the Marshal found another of his countrymen settled, and enjoying high favour and distinguished place in the Pacha's service; a Frenchman of the name of Selves, born at Lyons, but now called Soliman Pacha. He had served in Villeneuve's squadron, and retired in disgust at seeing his admiral allow Sir Robert Calder to beat his fleet of thirty-seven sail with eighteen, and capture two of his ships. Yet in this victory, the unreasonable people of England tried and censured the admiral who gained it, and who died of a broken heart! It is stated by our author that Napoleon's plan was, by sending inferior squadrons to sea in various directions, to distract our force, and obtain a command of the Channel-momentary indeed, but decisive, as it would have enabled the Boulogne flotilla to land the invading army upon the English shores. The confidence with which General Marmont states this matter, and the respect due to his opportunities of information, make us refer to the passage; although all our own information, and all the probabilities of the case, would lead to the inference that Napoleon had abandoned the idea of invasion as an impossible project, which had served its purpose, by creating alarm here and exciting interest in France. When he came to Egypt, Selves was employed by the Pacha in superintending his

project of establishing regular troops; as they offered almost insuperable obstacles from the invincible repugnance of the Turks and Arabs to any such service. The Marshal greatly praises the address and skill with which this difficult and delicate operation has been begun, and pronounces its complete success to be certain, if Soliman Pacha continues to superintend it with the full confidence and support of his master. But it must not be immagined that the Egyptian army has to wait for this consummation, which will make it far the most powerful in the East, before it is formidable. Ibrahim Pacha marched to Syria, in 1832, a well-appointed force of forty battalions of infantry, eight regiments of horse, and four thousand Bedouin Arabs, to serve at the outposts; he had a train of artillery of sixty pieces, and a siege equipment besides. Five sail of the line and a number of frigates attended the movement on the coast. Ibrahim, except in the siege of St Jean d'Acre, showed great military skill and resources. After a variety of operations in the field, all of which proved successful, he totally defeated the Turkish army of three times his force at Konieh; and our author, who minutely details the history of this memorable campaign in his second volume, represents the rout as so complete, that ten Turks did not remain together in any one part of the whole country. The people, too, gratified with the discipline of the Egyptian army, which formed a marked contrast to the pillage of the Turks, counted the Pacha as a protector and liberator, and lent his operations every assistance; nor did any obstacle remain between Ibrahim and Constantinople, when the European courts interfered and saved the Ottoman empire from destruction. They have recently repeated, but with less apparent, certainly less immediate, success, their interference to prevent Turkey from attacking the Pacha in Syria. The result is, at the moment we write, still doubtful; though no doubt whatever seems to exist, that military movements are in the contemplation of both the rival potentates.*

The military establishment of Mehemet Ali has all the parts which such a system requires. In the Arsenal at Cairo is a fine cannon foundery and a manufactory of small arms, which our author proves to be quite perfect in its production; he affirms, that the French arms are not superior in excellence. All is 'done regularly and with enterprise, and by the authority of a 'tariff; in short, this manufactory is as perfect and as econo'mically conducted as the best we have in France.' The general at the head of this department, is Eteim Bey, a Turk, of whose

* The truth of this conjecture has since been verified by the total dẹstruction of the Turkish army in one battle.

scientific acquirements the Marshal speaks with much admiration; placing him also, as an officer of engineers and artillery, on a level with the best he has ever known. This is the eminent individual who has lately visited our country, and gained general esteem by his intelligence and activity, as well as by the suavity of his manners. While here, he received the important appointment of Minister of Public Instruction; for the ignorant Mussulmans, the Turkish barbarians, do not neglect a department which, in the plenitude of our civilized pride, we of Great Britain will not condescend to regard as at all worthy of public attention. The Marshal greatly commends the military schools of the Pacha, which he examined. Here, too, a Frenchman was found to preside, formerly aide-de-camp to Marshal Saint Cyr-Colonel Varin. One of the establishments, composed of 360 youths, forms a regiment of cavalry, and our author saw their manoeuvres. 'I imagined I saw before me one ' of our finest regiments of cavalry. There was only wanting, 'to complete the success of this school, some instruction in 'fencing, languages, drawing, &c.; but as for all that concerns 'the service of the cavalry, there is nothing farther to improve · or to acquire. The horsemanship is good, the manœuvres are rapid and precise, the tenue the best possible, and the intelligence displayed all that any one could desire.' He adds, that as soon as these schools shall have given two or three thousand officers to the Pacha's regiments, which in a very few years must happen, the Egyptian army will be perfect.' This testimony from so high a military authority is certainly of great value and may be regarded as quite decisive of the question to which it relates. We must also add, that such statements prove sufficiently the absurdity of the notion that this work contains nothing of importance. Can any one doubt, that the thorough examination of the military condition of Mehemet Ali's dominions, by a judge so accomplished as General Marmont, and his free and detailed report thereupon, form a very important addition to our information upon one of the most interesting political and national questions of the present day?

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The most interesting part, however, is the account given by the Marshal of the steps by which Soliman-Pacha, (Selves,) succeeded in the difficult plan of introducing a regular force. This detail gives a very high idea of the genius of that eminent person; a genius which, if applied to the general reform of Oriental institutions, promises the most important results. We can only make room for the fundamental portion of the account:

Selves saw at a glance, that his début would have great influence upon

the success of his work-and, before understaking it, he reflected, foundly, on the manner in which he ought to act.

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'He set apart, to form the nucleus of the army which they wished to organize, a small body of from three to four hundred Mamelukes, whom Mehemet Ali had in his body-guard. He found in this several advantages: first, because it was composed of young, active, and intelligent men; secondly the Mamelukes have been from time immemorial feared and respected by the Egyptians ;-they exercise. a power of opinion belonging to their origin; and this power, augmented by talent and ability, ought to be irresistible. It is only necessary to convince, instruct, and discipline these Mamelukes;-there he found his principal difficulty,

This corps was sent to Syène, on the southern confines of Upper Egypt, and placed in complete isolation, in order that it might be protected from. the intrigues which might corrupt and alienate it from the views of the Pacha. Selves exerted himself to acquire the personal friendship of these young Mamelukes; and very soon succeeded. He was himself agile and expert, and a good equestrian-he mixed in their recreations, and, it is well known, that it is the prevailing passion of the Mamelukes to pass their whole life in military games. In such occupations Selves very soon became the most expert; he inspired the soldiers with the desire of becoming acquainted with European exercises, and he quickly established a salutary emulation. Every one's self-love became interested not to be behind his comrades. All this instruction was given and received as a pastime ; but when it went beyond the mere management of arms, there were fewer amateurs, and the obligation of silence and immobility displeased them; murmurs would then often break out; sometimes an open discontent threatened a revolt, and, one day, an attempt was even made against the life of Selves; but, in braving their blows, he proved that he did not fear death, and he showed generosity in not seeking out the guilty. By this conduct, he at length gained their affection.

When this course of instruction was completed, the Mamelukes formed a model battalion, which furnished the framework for the new troops, Peasants were then enlisted among them and instructed; and the Egyptian army was organized.

During many years, officers were appointed from the Turks or Mamelukes; the Pacha not wishing to trust himself in the hands of the Arabs, nor place entire reliance upon them; but, by degrees, as his authority became established, so that he could reckon with confidence upon the devotion of his army, he admitted the Arabs to occupy the situation of subaltern officers. These subalterns showed great intelligence and activity, and such of them as were raised to the rank of officers, soon became the best, and were preferred to the Turks. At the present day there is no longer any barrier to their advancement, and they can occupy superior stations. There is displayed in this proceeding as much wisdom as ability, address, and prudence.'

In recounting the improvements effected by the eminent men whom Mehemet Ali employs, we must not omit the tribute of justice due to him who has the sagacity to surround himself with such instruments of good. No weak prince ever was served by a succession, or by a number of able ministers. But the Pacha is as active himself as any of his servants. He is up early, works all day, attends to the whole details of his administration, civil and military, and apparently has the wisdom to leave the

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