Chapter VIII: The Isolation of France

Language of M. Thiers and Louis Philippe on learning of
the conclusion of the treaty--Warlike declamations of the
French press--Attitude of different parties in England--Thiers'
instructions to Guizot--The conference at the Château
d'Eu--Louis Philippe seeks to alarm Queen Victoria--Louis
Napoleon at Boulogne--Guizot at Windsor Castle--Leopold's
proposals--Ibrahim suppresses the insurrection in
Syria--Palmerston's despatch of August 31--The Sultan's
_ultimatum_--Movements of the British fleet--Threatening
language of M. de Pontois--The French armaments--Warlike
language of Louis Philippe and M. Thiers--Mehemet Ali invokes
the protection of France--Interview at Auteuil between Thiers
and Bulwer--Intrigues against Palmerston in London--A Cabinet
crisis impending--Why Lord John Russell "disappointed"
Greville--Meeting of the Cabinet of October 1--Bombardment of
Beyrout--Warlike excitement in Paris--Henry Reeve--Lord John
Russell calls a Cabinet for October 10--Two despatches from
Thiers--A Cabinet crisis averted--French government reported
to have designs upon the Balearic Islands--Melbourne writes
to King Leopold--Louis Philippe and M. Thiers--Resignation
of M. Thiers--Thiers' proceedings reviewed--M. Guizot's
plans--Palmerston's communications with Guizot--Successful
progress of the operations in Syria--Proposals to Mehemet
Ali--Napier's convention and his disavowal--Mehemet Ali
submits--The _firman_ of February 13, 1841--M. Guizot manœuvres
to bring back France into the Concert of Europe--Nicholas'
proposal--Palmerston's reply--Policy of M. Guizot--Bourqueney
and Palmerston--The Convention of the Straits drafted and
initialed--Mehemet Ali refuses to accept the _firman_ of
heredity--Ponsonby's advice to the Porte--Procrastinations of
the Porte--Mehemet Ali accepts the amended _firman_--Convention
of the Straits signed--Unsatisfactory character of the
criticisms passed upon Palmerston 279-330