Page:The European Concert in the Eastern Question.djvu/131

 Mehmed Ali Pasha, conferring on him the hereditary Government of the Province of Egypt, and confirmed by my Imperial Hatt, and the transmission of the succession from father to son in a direct line, and in order of primogeniture, would contribute to the good administration of Egypt and to the development of the welfare of the inhabitants of that province.

Appreciating, likewise, to their full extent, the efforts thou hast made with this object since thy nomination to the Governor-Generalship of Egypt, which is one of the most important provinces of my Empire, as well as the fidelity and devotion of which thou hast always given proof towards me, and wishing to confer on thee a striking proof of the full and entire confidence I repose in thee, I have determined that, henceforth, the Government of Egypt, with the territories which are annexed to it, and its dependencies, and with the Kaïmakamates of Suakin and Massowah, shall be transmitted to the eldest of thy male children, and, in the same manner, to the eldest sons of thy successors.

That if, in case of vacancy, the Governor-General shall leave no male issue, the succession shall be transmitted to the eldest of his brothers, and in default of brothers, to the eldest of the male children of the eldest of his defunct brothers.

Such shall henceforth be the law of succession in Egypt.

Moreover, the conditions contained in the above-mentioned Firman are and remain for ever in force as in the past; each of those conditions shall be constantly observed; and the maintenance of the privilege which is derived from those conditions shall depend on the observance in their entirety of each of the obligations which they involve.

Those immunities granted more recently by my Imperial Government respecting the power of the Governor-General of Egypt to raise the effective force of his troops to 30,000 men, to maintain the difference between the standard of the coins struck in Egypt in my Imperial Government, and that of the other metal currency of my Empire, and to confer the civil grades of my Government as high as that of Sanié (second rank of the first class), are likewise confirmed.

The rule which prohibits the succession of the male descendants of the daughters of the Governors is maintained as in the past.

The tribute of 80,000 purses paid by Egypt to the Imperial