The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-30

and ignorance, Mehemet Ali, man Of enlarged
views and profound sagacity, had begun the work
Of regeneration, and had raised Egypt from q de-
pendant pachalic 10 a sovereign state, vassai In
name only To Turkey. He had developed the
resources Of his adopted country, and left after him
the means and plans 20 conduct II by gradual and
progressive measures 70 very high standard OF
civilization and wealth. But his infrmites, and
the death of lbrahim Pacha, checked for time the
enlightened views and philanthropic course OF this
extraordinary man. Now, unfortunately, comes
after him man of prejudices and narrow UNDER
standing, who, not being able to comprehend the
great and benehcent projects OF his sire, Is guided
| by others less enlightened than himself Had the
| Egyptian ruler consulted the papers and corre-
spondence which he had in hand, instead OF sacri,
| ficing Hafz Bey, his best sailor, and Mohammed
the burden of his Indignation on those who were
the cause of failure. To understand the position
of these two officers, it will perhaps be well to go
| into the history of that figate, the Sharkie.
steamship on the -propelling principle, APP
piled to England for plan on which 10 build such
Il vessel mentioning only the armament she was TO
carry. He left it entirely to the English govern
ment to fix on her dimensions and proportions. A
plan sent from this country to Egypt, and
young ship builder, Mohammed Bey, brought up
in this country at the expense Of Mehemet, and in
structed in the craft of ship building, in Queens
dockyard, was charged with the building Of the
Sharkie. Having seen the plans, he strongly OBJ.
jected knowing that the stern Of the vessel could
not receive screw; and apprehensive of danger
in despotic country, he requested that committee
OF ship builders and engineers should be consulted
this, after some demur on the part Of the Pacha,
was accedcd to, and every one pronounced the plan
impracticablc. French engineer and ship
builder declared that no vessel could be built to
carry propeller with the designed stern. Niche
met Ali was embarrassed; he did not know how to
act between plan sent under the sanction and with
the approval Of the British government and the
firm and decided declaration Of several competent
builders. He had no other way left but to apply
again to England, and request the opinion of the
designer, who answered that the designs were per-
feet and well planned. The Sbarke was built ac-
cording to the instructions and plans sent; she
came to England to be fitted with her engines and
screw, and it found that she could not receive
them without the most extensive alterations TO her
stern, in fact without those changes that in
sisted upon by the several parties consulted in Egypt
before she was built After world of trouble, dis
appointment, and immense and unnecessary de-
lays, she was fitted out at most monstrous cost,
and went on her voyage.
Before his departure, Hahz Bey had very serious
misgivings as to his reception on his arrival He
said to several friends here that, in fact, he was
afraid to go back; that the expense and delay here
would be attributed to him, and his life was not
safe. The event has unfortunately proved that his
forebodings we're true.
Abbas Pacha could have enlightened his own
darkness by referring to plans and papers in his
possession; he would have found there that the ex-
pense entailed on his treasury was owing to the
faulty plans sent from this country, and Hafz Bey
and Mohammed Bey had no more control over the
building and alterations of the Sharkie than the
"man in the moon" He might have been irritated
at having to pay some such trifie as fl32 0OO for
the Sharkie; but he should have put the saddle on
the right horse, and not on the wrong one. The
blunders were committed here, and the poor Egyp-
tan commodore and builder have suffered for faults
that were not their own