The Providence Journal, And Town And Country Advertiser

When Ledyard, the celebrated American traveller, was at Cairo, he wrote to the president of the royal society, for the express purpose of pointing out to him the expediency of G. Britain's taking possession of Egypt, in order to prevent its being seized upon by some other European power, which, with the spirit of prophecy, he declared he considered as an event that could not fail of taking place ere many years should elapse. After descanting upon its extraordinary advantages of soil and situation, he urged, as a particular incentive to its conquest, the existence in the country of near fifty thousand free traders, who would join and support any power that should undertake to rid them of the oppression and plunder they suffered from the beys. Ledyard's letter was, by his own desire, communicated to his majesty's ministers, but was not attended to. They thought it, no doubt, neither moral nor political to attack the sublime Porte, without any plausible pretence of war.

Lond. Paper.