The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-26
THE JEDDAH MASSACRE.
rrom the \. y. Journal o. Commerce. ]


The ACCOUNTS published by Mr. Emerat, chancellor Of
the French consulate Jeddah who barely escaped with
his life from the Mohammedan fanatics, and by the officers
of the British frgate Cyclops, give the fullest ana the
most authentic Information as 70 the origin anu "DETAILS VI
the Jcddah massacre.
1t seems that an Indian subject OF the British Crown
anxious to escape responsibility to the British consul
in relation to some property OF when ne was trustee
and that for this purpose he solicited and obtained per-
mission from the governor of Jeah to hoist the Turkish
instead OF the British ensign board vessel OF which
he The English consul aware OF the scheme,
and determined to defeat it, ordered the Turkish flag 70
be hauled down. and insisted that the British flag should
be -hoisted When this incident occurred, Jedah was
filled with pilgrims from every Mohammedan country III
the world their way to, from, the shrine OF the
Prophet Mecca and it is not improbable that several
Of their number had come from Hindostan and had de-
lighted the hearts of ''the faithful with spirited ac-
counts of how the christian dogs had been Inundated
and vanqushed by the followers of the Mogul II clear
" established that plot had been concoced against the
lives of the Christian residents of Jeddah and that the
thors of the conspiracy only waiting for convent
en opportunity to destroy the gaours whose presence
profaned the resting place of Mahomet They thought
that the hauling down the Mosem crescent to make
for the Union Jack of the inde English WAS an insult
which they bound to avenge and accordingly, ON
the evening of the 18th june the day on which the con-
sui gave the offensive order the French and English
ss with their families and all the Christians in Jeddah
except twenty five, who escaped by main force by
stratagem were massacred by the Mussuman fanatics
who held the town. committing all sorts of and
outrages for three days. until the Pasha arrived with
troops from Mecca when the dead decently buried
and satisfaction promised for tho gross crimes that had
been committed.
At first it resolved that the British and French gov
cnmens should take the law into their hands, send
force to Jeddah and wreak terrible vengeance the
Mussulman inhabitants This resolution afterwards
bandoed impotc and unnecessarily disrespectul to
the Sultan who, in the promptest and handsoest
her has expressed the deepest regret for the melancholy
event and ordered the most active steps to be taken to
arrest and punish the criminals and besides this, the
British unwilling that any pretext should be afford
cd to the French for obtaining oothod in the cd Sca
and extending their influence in Egypt and Arabia, and
thus promoting their Suez Canal project
The Sultan has sent Ismal Pasha, commander of the
army of Rouelia, with large armed force to Jeldah,
where he is to investigate the circumstances of the
Gre discover the perpetrators, and punish them to him
may seem just 1t is said that the Sultan has Instructed
him act vigorously and to prove to his subjects
ally that he does not share their antpathies to Christians
recognise their assumption of social superiority all
who not disciples of Mahomct and that Ismail Pasha
whose exploits at Kalafit during the Russian won
him high place among the military celebrities OF the
day. perfectly qualified to perform we'll and earessly
has appointed him.
IT is Of considerable Importance England in view Of
her present struggle in India that most signal rcparaon
should be had for the at Jeddah and that the
Mohammedans of Hindosan should learn that their
gionists at Mecca who, actated by the religious
zeal national hate that filled the assassins of Delhi and
Cawnpore dared to commit similar atrocities at Jeddah
had been summarily and terribly punished and that their
punishment ordered by and executed in the Of
the Padsha the and representative earth Of
Mahomet.