NAPOLEON I (Emperor of France, 1804-1821). Letter signed (as Chief of the Army in Egypt, 'Bonaparte') to Admiral Ganteaume, Cairo, 'le 26 nivôse an 7 [15 January 1799], instructing him to proceed to Suez to inspect closely all the naval establishments there in accordance with the plan for a small arsenal to be left there, and if the gunboats are ready to carry out a mission in the Red Sea he is to leave with them and to capture all the Mameluk warships which leave Kosseir [Quseir], to seize the fort and put it in readiness to be defended and, contacting General Desaix, to leave some gunboats there, with further instructions, 2 pages, folio (traces of adhesive in inner margin, small splits in folds).

NAPOLEON I (Emperor of France, 1804-1821). Letter signed (as Chief of the Army in Egypt, 'Bonaparte') to Admiral Ganteaume, Cairo, 'le 26 nivôse an 7 [15 January 1799], instructing him to proceed to Suez to inspect closely all the naval establishments there in accordance with the plan for a small arsenal to be left there, and if the gunboats are ready to carry out a mission in the Red Sea he is to leave with them and to capture all the Mameluk warships which leave Kosseir [Quseir], to seize the fort and put it in readiness to be defended and, contacting General Desaix, to leave some gunboats there, with further instructions, 2 pages, folio (traces of adhesive in inner margin, small splits in folds).

Ganteaume is also ordered to organise a Commissariat and customs post at Kosseir and to inform Yambo, Djedda and Mokka that it is safe to trade in the port of Suez and that measures have been taken to prepare it to provide support for ships of war.