Accounts of the actual commencement of hostilities between the Porte
and the Pacha of Egypt have been received. On the 5th of May, the European Consuls at Alexandria were informed by ME- HEMET Arm, that the Turkish army under Ihriz Pacha, twenty thousand strong, had crossed the Euphrates at Bye, and that in- structions had been sent to IBRAHIM Pacha, to ascertain certainly that the Turks had first broken the peace, and in that case "to put his trust in God"—in other words, to attack them. It seems probable that IBRAHIM, in obedience to these orders, attacked the Turks; for a " collision" is positively stated to have occurred on the frontiers of Syria. However, the Turkish Ambassador at Paris assured the French Government that he had received no in- formation of the event, and was not disposed to credit the report. Byr, he added, was within the Turkish territory, and therefore oc- cupation of that city would be no breach of the peace by HAriz. Proceeding on the belief that precautionary measures were neces- sary, the French Minister of the Marine called for a grant of ten mil- lions of francs ; and on Wednesday, animated debates on the affitirs of the East took place in Committees of the Chamber of Deputies. GUIZOT and Timms were in different Committees. The language of Gent:yr, who exerts a controlling influence in the French Mi- nistry, was unfriendly to this country. He maintained that England had views upon Egypt which France could not sanction ; and that in the approaching break-up, France must get what she could for herself—and he cared little whether it came from Russia or England. THIERS, on the other hand, declared that England had no ambitious views on Egypt ; and he denied that Russia had ex- cited collisions in the East : it was the interest of both Russia and England to preserve peace. He was opposed to the vote of ten millions for a mere naval promenade ; and required a develop- ment of clear, rational views of policy, and definite alliances. To effect these necessary objects, a firm and talented Cabinet was re- quired; and he really saw not a single individual in the existing Government capable even of considering the question.
• The very large majority of 262 to 71 voted the secret-service- money demanded by the Ministers.
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