According to Skinners' account of his journey he met Mehemet Ali, pacha of Egypt, at least two times. Mehemet was responsible for building a strong Egyptian navy; see for this topic several notes on this weblog. Although Skinner doesn't give any technical information, his notes are interesting as a sort of background information on what was going on in Egypt that year.
P. 9: "At length we neared the shipping, and were delighted to sea a boat making for us in a few minutes we were boarded by a host of pilots. They gave directions in all the languages of the Mediterranean, with now and then an English word. It seemed to me miraculous that, in the midst of such confusion, the vessel at last got into harbour. At the helm of the pilot boat was seated an old man with a venerable beard; he steered with one hand, and in the other held a rosary: the shouting of the crew had no effect upon his gravity; he was the most immovable person possible, and might have been a figurehead to one of Mehemet Ali's fleet. Five or six men, armed with long pipes, boarded the racing Menader, and in half an hour afterwards by their joint counsel we came to anchor near a three-decker undergoing repair:
p. 10: scaffolds were suspended beneath each tier; and the people, who seemed to be innumerable on board, ran in and out like ants, or hung in clusters at each port like a swarm of bees. She was fitting for sea; the crew looked squalid, and in dirt nearly equaled the vessel. Several other ships of war, that had just come in from the coast of Syria, were lying in the harbour; their boats skimming about, manned by Arabs in scarlet dresses."
p. 22: "…and arrived at my hotel in the midst of a most singular exhibition that the Turkish dinner-party had engaged in. They were officers of the pasha's navy, as little silver anchors on their left breasts denoted; and, warmed by the wine and minstrelsy I left them enjoying, had commenced to fight their battles over again…".
p.31: "I saw him [Mehemet Ali] in the dock-yard, where he is a frequent attendant, and takes much personal interest in the progress of his works. He is now ten years older than when I first saw him, but has still the appearance of great energy".
Source
major Skinner. Adventures during a journey over land to India, by way of Egypt, Syria, and the Holy land. Philadelphia, 1837. Digitized by Google
