Further accounts from the Mediterranean confirm the story of Mehe-
met Ali's sudden retirement from the Government of Egypt ; but, in- stead of throwing light on the motives, involve them in added obscurity, so much do they vary. All agree in saying that he refused to see any one, or to take any companion. One imputes the flight to fatherly ten- derness at the departure of his son and grandson for France.
" Mehemet Ali was unable to sleep that night ; and the following morning,
on looking towards the sea, he said to his attendants, ' I cannot bear to look at the sea, or at the ships, and I must quit Alexandria.' He immediately set out for Cairo, accompanied by his secretary Rustem."—Alexandria Corres- pondent of the Times. Others say, that on departing, be exclaimed against " a traitor" in his family ; declaring that he would discover him, or retire to Mecca ; and mention a rumour that Abbas Pacha and Sherif Pacha had been in- triguing. Some fortify the supposition that he only meant to secure the succession- " The Pacha declared that he renounces the government of Egypt to his son Ibrahim, and that he is off to Mecca to end his days, taking with him 5,000/. as all that he may want."—Alexandria Correspondent of the Morning Chronicle.
Here the religious motive is added— It is positively asserted that be has abdicated in favour of his son Ibrahim; intending to repair at once to Mecca, there to end in peace and quiet, amid the consolations of religion, the remainder of his days ; but of which abdication Ibra- him pleads ignorance, refusing to act thereon until he receives some more posi- tive command from his father; and Saied Pacha, another son, had been de- spatched to Cairo to unravel the mystery.—Malta Correspondent of the same. A fifth guess—diplomatic embroglio- lt would seem that in consequence of the treaty formed with Sir H. Har- din.ge, considerable jealousy has been felt ; and the consequence has been the resignation of his Highness Mehemet Ali of the reins of Goveniment.—.ano.-
thee Alexandria Correspondent of the Times.
A sixth—madness- The Pacba, the day before yesterday, lost his senses two nights running he had not an hour's sleep, and in the morning he ordered his coach to be ready, saying, "I wish to go to Cairo." He did this without advising with any one.— Alexandria Correspondent of the Malta Times.
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