PURCHASE OF CAMELS FOR MILITARY PURPOSES. 43 



Alexandria, December 25, 1855. 



Dear Sir: I learn that the viceroy is coming down hereon Thurs- 

 day, I therefore defer my visit to Cairo, as it is necessary to get his 

 permission to export the dromedaries. 



If you wish a personal interview with him, come down and I will 

 present you, or if you prefer my obtaining the permit and then join- 

 ing you at Cairo, I will do whichever is most agreeable to you. Either 

 come down on receipt of this letter, or let me know your wishes. I 

 will await your decision. 

 Yours, truly, 



EDWIN DeLEON. 



Major H. C. Wayne, Cairo. 



Cairo, December 27, 1856. 



My Dear Sir : I received this morning your note of the 25th in- 

 stant, in relation to the viceroy's permit for the exportation of our 

 dromedaries. 



By this time you will no doubt have learned that I have already 

 applied for the necessary authority to export, and that the pasha de- 

 clines permitting me to carry out more than four animals, males and 

 females. I requested authority to export twenty. 



It would have given me great pleasure to have had your personal 

 and official influence in this matter, and it was not until Mr. Heap's 

 arrival from Alexandria, on the 20th instant, with the information 

 that your engagements there were such as to render your return to 

 Cairo uncertain, that I felt myself compelled to act through our vice 

 consul here, Mr. Kahil, as time was pressing, it being the anxious 

 desire of the Secretary of War, and also my own, that the practical 

 demonstration of the experiment should be commenced in the United 

 States at as early a day as possible, by the return of the first ship 

 load of animals. 



To-morrow I hope to send down five dromedaries that I purchased, 

 under the impression that there would be no difficulty in their expor- 

 tation, and on my return to Alexandria, I shall be very glad to have 

 your assistance in getting the fifth included in the viceroy's permit. 

 I say " on my return to Alexandria," as in any action you may take 

 in the matter, it will be necessary for you to be advised of the grounds 

 on which the viceroy declined to comply with my request. 



I shall endeavor to leave this by the steamer of the 30th December, 

 after giving mj dromedaries a couple of day's start: 



Very truly, yours, 



HENRY C. WAYNE, 



United States Army. 



Edwin De Leon, Esq. 



United States Consul General, Alexandria. 



