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To His Excellency the Admiral and Minister
of the Navy and the Colonies
Paris
Alexandria, 13th November, 1869
Dear Minister,
I have the honour of informing you that I have just come on board
the Aigle after completing the voyage to Upper Egypt with the
Empress.
Admiral Dupré is aboard the French liner Le Moeris as he has postponed
his departure until tomorrow morning. I am taking advantage of
this delay to give Your Excellency a brief account of the main
points of Her Majesty’s excursion.
The Empress sailed up the Nile until she was just a few hours
away from the second Nile cataract and was back on the evening
of 12th.
The whole of this voyage was accomplished in the best of conditions
thanks to the arrangement made by the Khedive throughout the journey. Dozens of small boats, each with their own particular
duty, were at Her Majesty’s service, and she seemed very pleased
with everything she visited and the exceptional care taken of
her by everyone.
Her Majesty returned on board her yacht yesterday and seemed very
happy to see her again.
According to her wishes, the Aigle will leave Alexandria on 15th
in order to arrive in Port Said on 16th.
A few disagreeable stories about the inauguration were running
round Cairo and Alexandria but it seems certain that the Aigle
will be able to travel the whole length of the canal.
The Empress would like to be back in Paris before the opening
of Chambers but the festivities surrounding the inauguration may
keep her in Ismailia and Suez longer than she first thought. I
will, nevertheless, do all I can to speed her return to France
as much as possible.
The British squadron, composed of five armoured frigates and three small
gunboats, which has been anchored outside the Alexandria channels
for the past few days, got under way for Port Said this evening
as, I am told, did the vessels of all the other nations, earlier.
I am writing to Admiral Moulac to let him know of the Empress’s
wish that the Forbin be put at the Emir Abd-el-Kader’s disposal.
I remain, Sir, your most devoted servant,
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