Beyrout Place

On July 15 1840 Great Britain, Austria, Russia and Prussia signed a treaty in London under the terms of which they agreed to help the Turkish Sultan to bring his vassal Mehemet Ali to order.

The four powers wanted Ali to evacuate Arabia, Syria, Crete and other territories he had occupied, in return for which they were prepared to make him hereditary viceroy of Egypt and to give him certain other territories. An ultimatum was issued on August 9 1840 and three days later Captain Charles Napier anchored off Beyrout, under the overall command of Admiral Sir Robert Stopford.

Napier was keen to impress and risking probable court martial ended up overseeing a successful land offensive and driving the Egyptians out of Beyrout. The naming of Beyrout (Beirut) Place, Napier Street, Stopford Place and the neighbouring Acre Place all derive from the events that took place during that episode in British Naval history.

EH 13 April 1996