Επιστολή του George Canning από το Foreign Office, 20 Αυγούστου του 1808, προς τον Φορέστη με ενημέρωση περι των σχέσεων του Αλή Πασά και του Σουλτάνου με τον Μεγάλη Βρετανία και την βοήθεια που θα πρέπει ο Φορέστης να παρέχει στους απεσταλμένους της Βρετανίας, που έχουν επωμισθεί την επικοινωνία με την Πύλη. Επίσης ο Κάννινγ του επισυνάπτει τόσο επιστολή του Αλή Πασά προς τον Γεώργιο, όσο και την απάντηση της βρετανικής κυβέρνησης προς τον ίδιο. Ο Αλή Πασάς ζητά από την Βρετανία την βοήθειά της σε πυροβολικό αλλά και σε πολεμικά εφόδια, ενώ ζητά και την παρουσία του βρετανικού στόλου για να φυλάττει τις ακτές του πασαλικίου του. Η Βρετανία δέχεται να τον βοηθήσει για την αντιμετώπιση της γαλλικής απειλής με προμήθειες και στόλο, αλλά δεν του υπόσχεται ούτε χερσαίες δυνάμεις ούτε και χρήματα.
Foreign Office, August 20, 1808
Mr Foresti
Copy for Mr. Adair
Sir,
I take advantage of the return of said Ahmet Effendi, with the answer which I have been commanded by His Majesty to give to the proposals transmitted through Ali Pasha from the Porte, to acknowledge the receipt of your several dispatches to No.9 inclusive; and to signify to you His Majesty’s approbation of your services; and of your continuing your present residence until the event of the negotiation with the Porte shall be decided, or until His Majesty’s pleasure shall be signified for your return home.
You will afford to Mr. Adair, the minister whom His Majesty has appointed to meet with the Porte every assistance and information in your power; and should he have occasion for your personal services either with Ali Pasha, or with any other of the Pashas of the other Turkish Empire, you will hold yourself in readiness to execute any commission which he may enter it to you of that nature.
I enclose to you copies of Ali Pasha’s letter to the King; and of the answer which in his Majesty’s command I have returned to it.
The gradual assurance of good will which are true given, are intended to the realized, by the furnishing to Ali Pasha, of certain artillery and ammunition which he has requested; and by a general instruction to the commander in Chief of His Majesty’s fleet in the Mediterranean to appoint a sufficient naval force to guard the coasts of Albania; and to cooperate with Ali Pasha in any enterprise against the French in that quarter which may appear necessary for the security of his territory, and which may be within the reach of naval co-operation – land force – or money is not intended to be promised. The former His Majesty has not disposable, occupied as His Majesty’s arms at present are, in aiding the efforts of Portugal and Spain for the recovery of their national independence, and the subsidies already furnished by His Majesty to his allies in the war, exhaust in a great degree, the means of pecuniary assistance.
You will conform your language, in any interview with any agent of Ali Pasha to that of my answer to the Pasha’s letter – and to the explanation here given of the sense and the extent in which His Majesty’s assurances are to be understood.
I am etc etc
(signed) George Canning