Middle East – remarkable letter written from HMS Aigle at Smyrna dated September 5th 1795 describing a meeting with ‘Captain Pasha – the great man in the Empire & brother of the Grand Seignion, his power is unlimited all civil jurisdiction ceasing on his arrival...his dress, sabre and pistols are most magnificent, he smoked out of a golden pipe set in diamonds...the first dress I saw him in was blue velvet set full of various stones...the next dress a rich blue velvet with diamonds of great value & pearls...I never saw such a collection of riches in my life...I suppose he carried on his pistols, ring & sabre from 50 to 100 thousand pounds – which I do not expect you to believe until you have seen the millions of oppressed wretches who furnish them – if you should in this country get worth 10000 your head is gone ...his presents are the greatest proof of his magnificence he gave our ships ...my present is a piece of blue silk worked with gold...he presented Captain Hood with a gold box set with diamonds a quantity of muslin & various things...’ The ‘Captain Pasha’ referred to in this letter is most probably Ali Pasha, then the most powerful main in the middle east – and later the subject of one of the major figures described by Byron. HMS Aigle was a former French privateers which was captured by the Royal Navy in 1792 – she was wrecked in 1798. The ‘Captain Hood’ in this letter was Samuel Hood who took command of the Aigle that year. He eventually rose to be a Vice-Admiral. The letter also has postal history content.