Didier And Hamilton, Being Far More
Competent To Lay The Subject Before The Public.
A few political remarks
may not be deemed out of place.
The present Sharif, despite his
civilised training at Constantinople, is, and must be a fanatic,
bigoted man. He applied for the expulsion of the British Vice-Consul at
Jeddah, on the grounds that an infidel should not hold position in the
Holy Land. His pride and reserve have made him few friends, although
the Meccans, with their enthusiastic nationality, extol his bravery to
the skies, and praise him for conduct as well as for courage. His
position at present is anomalous. Ahmad Pasha of Al-Hijaz rules
politically as representative of the Sultan. The Sharif, who, like the
Pope, claims temporal as well as spiritual dominion, attempts to
command the authorities by force of bigotry. The Pasha heads the
Turkish, now the ruling party. The Sharif has in his interest the Arabs
and the Badawin. Both thwart each other on all possible occasions;
quarrels are bitter and endless; there is no government, and the vessel
of the State is in danger of being water-logged, in consequence of the
squabbling between her two captains. When I was at Meccah all were in a
ferment, the Sharif having, it is said, insisted upon the Pasha leaving
Taif. The position of the Turks in Al-Hijaz becomes every day more
dangerous. Want of money presses upon them, and reduces them to
degrading measures. In February, 1853, the Pasha hired a forced loan
from the merchants, and but for Mr. Cole’s spirit and firmness, the
English proteges would have been compelled to contribute their share.
After a long and animated discussion, the Pasha yielded the point by
imprisoning his recusant subjects, who insisted upon Indians paying,
like themselves.
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