Three letters by Belzoni to Drovetti

The initial difficulties of an expert in hydraulics in Egypt

Giovanni Battista Belzoni arrived in Egypt in 1815, knowing little or nothing about the country. His intention was to build and sell his hydraulic irrigation machinery to the Pasha of Egypt, Muhammad Ali. To get his project off the ground he needed highly placed friends and he knew from experience that the best place to start looking for society contacts was at the consulates, from where the European capitals controlled local power and looked after the interests of their governments, not always in a perfectly transparent manner.

In summer 1815 there were two key diplomats in Alessandria: the English consul Misset (soon to be replaced by Henry Salt) and Bernardino Drovetti (an Italian), the French consul and a former soldier of Napoleon with a fine military track record.
Belzoni decided to ask for the help of the latter because he felt him to be the most influential and to offer the best guarantees.

Here are three letters sent by Belzoni to Drovetti, illustrating some of the many difficulties encountered by the former in his business endeavours, which were unsuccessful in the end because of Arab prejudice against his hydraulic machinery, believing it would put the work of numerous people and oxen at risk. This convinced Belzoni to look elsewhere for business and he devoted himself to the recovery of antiquities on behalf of various clients, becoming one of the leading figures in Egyptology in the process.

Cairo, 2 August 1815

Highly esteemed Sir and true Friend,

as reported to your agent, I hope to have the opportunity to meet you again soon. My business endeavours appear to be making some progress, but your advice would be of great help in these circumstances. I have been presented to His Royal Highness, who received me very courteously, and having learned that I have some knowledge of hydraulics – thanks to the judgement I expressed on the English machine¹ and to the fact that everything I said on the matter actually occurred – he was convinced of my modest abilities, to the extent of ordering that it would be better to build a full scale version rather than making models. So far as my own interests are concerned, I presented my proposals, but I think these people are somewhat lacking in generosity. They tell me to trust His Majesty, but I know that “when the bird is in the cage, it no longer thinks about the trap”. In any event I will build one of my smaller machines, with which one ox, without effort, will draw as much water as five or six. They have told me that once completed, if we reach an agreement, I will build others which will not require any animals to be used. In this way I hope to persuade them to accept an agreement in my favour.

Apparently the English machine has not satisfied His Majesty, but I cannot offer any comments on the matter, as I imagine you will understand.

My wound continues to cause me problems². His agent has been correct with me and I have received ten more Pieces, please inform me whether I have to give the money back to the former or send it to you.
I remain your sincere and devoted servant.

G. Belzoni

Cairo, 14 August 1815

Esteemed Sir,

pardon my liberty in inconveniencing you, but given the high esteem in which I hold you, I feel duty bound to inform you of the progress of my business affairs. The Revolution³ has delayed the stipulation of a contract with His Majesty, but in the end it was agreed that I should receive one hundred Spanish Pieces per month to maintain my family and that I must leave my reward to the generosity of His Majesty. This is what I have been able to obtain from these people, but after building my first machine, which I am certain will be successful, even though it is not one of the best, I am certain they will want other better constructed machines, at which point we will reach new agreements. I have so far received only 500 Piastres, the rest will be forthcoming in a few days. Please write to inform me of whether the money should be returned to yourself or your agent here in Cairo. Please also receive the sum of 80 Piastres I am sending through my friend Mr. Shaigint Barahim, which I would ask you to use to pay Pietro for the wine, charging him to forward me another barrel of wine like the one I brought with me. That one was 120 Oca, so at 27 Parà to each Oca, the total is the aforementioned 81 Piastres. If by chance he has a larger barrel, he may fill it and I will send him the difference. Please pardon the inconvenience I am causing you, but having no other trustworthy person in Alessandria, I am obliged to take the aforementioned liberty.

I hope you will honour me with your news and I beg you to continue to grant me the kindness which obliges me to be your devoted servant.

P.S. Please tell the aforementioned Pietro to deliver the wine to a trustworthy captain so that it is not spoilt during the voyage. Alternatively you would do me a great favour if you have the opportunity to sent it to me yourself. The wine may be left at Bolaco⁴ customs, with notice of delivery sent to Mr. Boughos⁵.

G. Belzoni

Cairo, 25 August 1815

Esteemed Sir,

my business affairs continue to be characterised by uncertainty and everything seems to be going against their resolution. The Revolution is over, the aging governor of engineers has fallen ill and I will therefore only be able to start in a few days time.

In your last letter you suggested I ask the advice of Mr. Bocty⁶, but I assure you he is not a man to trust. He does not want to give advice to foreigners and is blinded to excess by jealousy, particularly as regards an expert in hydraulics like myself, because he expects much of this science without knowing anything about it. He demonstrated as much with the English machine because, without being asked, he attempted to make it work, and by adding a piece, he did the opposite of what should have been done – because one pipe was too long and made elevation difficult – but this isn’t the worst side of Mr. Bocty: he is malicious to madness and has many different faces, he says things and then pretends not to have said them. Rest assured that I don’t say this just because he is my enemy, but because I notice with indignation that he is your enemy too, and out of respect for you I feel it is my duty to advise you of this. I am horrified to see that Bocty knows you believe him to be a friend, because I also think he changes his friendships according to circumstances. Rest assured that I would have no difficulty telling him to his face what I have written to you, something which sooner or later, at the right time, will inevitably happen.

I have made various surveys of the land near the Nile, observing that an enormous quantity is wasted for lack of water as it is not flooded by the Nile. In consideration of the ease with which they could be irrigated, particularly when the Nile is high, it would be extremely useful to succeed in this endeavour. I therefore think that these circumstances could be exploited to persuade His Highness to rent out a part of this land – which is useless and which he would therefore grant at good conditions – for four or five years in order to demonstrate to His Highness the utility deriving to them in this period, after which I believe he would easily agree to the aforementioned requests and that there would be great benefit from these speculations. However, this should be done before His Highness sees how easy the Elevation of the Waters is, otherwise I do not believe he would rent out the land at a good price. I beg you to consider this and rest assured that I am willing to undertake these speculations and elevate the waters needed in any season at little expense. If you think this endeavour is feasible, I would happily sacrifice four or five years to it and therefore beg you to give me your advice in this regard, informing me of how to proceed to realise all this.

Please do me the courtesy of sending me the wine as soon as possible as I am without and here in Cairo it is very expensive. Please continue to grant me your kindness and rest assured that I remain your humble servant.

G. Belzoni

Notes

¹ A hydraulic machine sent as a gift by the British government and which lay abandoned in the gardens at Subra as it does not appear to have delivered the expected results.

² There was an incident the very day minister Boghos was accompanying Belzoni to his first meeting with the pasha. On the way a Turkish soldier on horseback struck Belzone with his spur as a sign of distain towards the French. After bandaging the wound, Belzoni was accompanied to Bulaq, where he had to rest for several days.

³ Belzoni is referring to the revolt provoked by the Turkish militias against the new French style disciplinary rules imposed by their commanders. The revolt lasted only a few days and was put down by the Syrian cavalry.

⁴ Bulaq

⁵ Yusufian (bey) Boghos, (1775-1844), not Boughos, Baghos or Bagot, as the Belzoni writes, of Armenian descent, a native of Smyrna and interpreter and private secretary to Muhammad ‘Ali in 1816, who rose to the highest ranks in the State and played an anything but negligible role in the political life of Egypt, gave hospitality to Belzoni in a house he owned in Bulaq and agreed to present him to the pasha.

⁶ Joseph Bokty (1799-1845), Swedish General Consul in Egypt prior to Inastasi (the engineer appointed by Muhammad ‘Ali as general director of Industry) and then the Prussian consul in Egypt.