After a short stay in Paris, they continued their journey to England, and soon arrived in Folkestone, where they found Mrs Gawler, who had come to meet her husband. Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore here bade adieu to the Colonel and Mrs Gawler, as they were anxious to go to Ramsgate as quickly as possible. Immediately after their arrival there they attended divine service in their own Synagogue, to thank God for their safe return home.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE GREAT EXHIBITION--FRESH MEASURES AGAINST THE RUSSIAN JEWS--COMPLAINTS FROM ROME--NEWS FROM DAMASCUS--BARON LIONEL DE ROTHSCHILD TAKES THE OATH ON THE OLD TESTAMENT--SIR MOSES INTERVIEWS LOUIS NAPOLEON AT THE ELYSEE--THE EXHIBITION.
From the 16th of September to the 16th of October Sir Moses spent his time partly in Ramsgate and partly in London, pursuing his usual occupations. He continued to attend the meetings of various financial companies and associations of communal and educational interest. He also devoted much time to political matters, expressing his opinions lucidly to his friends, although to strangers he would usually protest that he was no politician. As a rule he would either read or have read to him most of the political leaders in the daily papers. At this period he received a copy of the pamphlet written by his nephew, Mr Arthur Cohen, Q.C., and entitled "A few Arguments in favour of the Jews Bill." Sir Moses spoke very highly of the ability displayed by Mr Cohen in this pamphlet, as well as in a letter he had received from him at the same time on the subject of religion.
During this month they undertook two journeys to Frankfort-on-the-Maine, one for the purpose of consulting with his friends there on the subject of the Damascus inscription, and the other in compliance with an invitation from Baroness Charlotte and Baron Anselm de Rothschild to the wedding of their daughter with Baron Willie de Rothschild.
On his return to London, one of his first acts in the cause of education was the gift of a hundred guineas to the "Merchant Taylors" for a medal to the best Hebrew scholar, and in grateful remembrance of past services he was able to offer Mr Richard Wood, Her Britannic Majesty's Consul at Damascus, a cadetship at Addiscombe for his nephew, whilst his remittances to charitable institutions, and the forwarding of medical supplies to Dr Fränkel, in Jerusalem, for the dispensary, showed that he was ever mindful of the requirements of the needy.