The Express.
London, England, 1858-07-12 00:00:00

JEDDAH.

Djidda, or Jidda, a mart, city of Arabia, in El-
Hotta, being the port of Meow, and one of the chief
matreplits for foreign commerce in the peninsula. Latitude
21 deg. 32 min. 42 sec. N., longitude 39 dec. 6 min. E.
Resident population, according to AU Bey, 6,000, but this
number is often very much increased by the Milne of
strangers. The inhabitants are nearly all foreigners, or
settlers from other parts of Arabia; the only natives being a
few sheriff families attached extlusively to the offices of reli-
gion and law. Five mosques, poor and mean, the governor's
house, and a groan castle. mounting 9 or 10 guns, are the
only public building', except the khans, which are numerous
and handsome. The houses in the town, built of stone and
medreporc, are, from the perishable nature of the material,
not very luting; but in the suburbs they are mere huts,
constructed of reeds and brushwood, inhabited principally by
Bedouins. The streets are unpaved ; but Djidda is, notwith-
atrnding, cleaner, and in other respects superior to most
Ersteta cities of equal size. It is one of the holy places of
Mohammedanism, and its sanctity is increased by the neigh-
borrhood of the reputed tomb of Eve, a rude stone ett actors,
about 2 re. te the N. The surrounding country Is a bare
desert, destitute of running streams; and though well
water is easily procurable, it ia generally bad. The in-
habitants collect the rain in cisterns, and the commonest
neorearies are brought from a distance. Corn, rice, butter,
sugar, tobacco, oil, clothing, &0., are imported in very large
quantities from Egypt, the Abymir ian eoaat, and (excepting
butter) even from Pavia and India. Djidda depends, there-
fore, for Its existence upon its trade, which is very extensive,
end wholly of the transit kind. From the interior dates, and
the adebrated balm of Mecca, are brought for shipment west-
ward ; wok, civet, and incense, are procured from Abys-
sinia ; muslioe, cloths. oambrica, teak timber, coccu-nut,
cocoa-nut oil, pepper, ginger, turmeric, shawls, tissue, &c.,
are brought from India; the Malay Islands send spices and
(what Is not generally known) young females for sale at the
Meer market. The *Ake trade, which, next to that of
grain, was formerly the most important, has much declined
of late, partly owing to the free adn3igsinu of American pro-
duce to the Mediterranean but principally to the impolitic
exactions of the Pemba of Egypt upon this branch of com-
merce. A trade in slaves Is carried on with the Mozambique
coast; and, altogether, it is calculated that the port of
Djidda employe 2.50 vessels great and small. The imported
articles are conveyed by ships to Suez, whence they sad their
way to the Mediterranean ports, or by carAvans to Mecca
and Medina, from which cities they are again dispersed to
Brie, Asia Minor, and Turkey. The caravans to Mecca
start daily, those Its Medina every forty or tifty days ; but
besides the Djidda carries on no land trade, except amnion-
ally with N. Yemen for corn. The duties upon corn were
formerly 7+ per cent.; they are now double that amount;
those upon Indian goods are font 6 to 10 per cent.,
according to quality; the trade in grain is monopo-
lised by the Egyptian government. Twice at least
in every year Djidda is inundated with inhabitant%
via., on the arrival of the Indian neat (about May), whr
merchants from all quarters pour is to purchase at the
Lest hand ; and during the hadj, when pllgtime come
from all the African porta in vast numbers. fa 1831
above 20,000 pilgrims landed either at Djidda or Ifembo,
but mostly at the former. There is no manufacture fa
the Wan; everything, for use as well as for consumption,
is imported, and the occupations of the poorer as of the
richer inhabitants, consist almost exclusively of barter:.
itCalloas Garpaphiaal Dictionary.

TEn ROYAL VICTORIA HOSPITAL, NEAR Num
ADlET.—This morning was lamed the report of the cans
mitts, on Watley Hospital, together with communicatirms en
the 'abject from various scient;fic and medical gentler's&
The committee originally consisted of Colonel O'Brien (pad-
dent) and Captain lAffaa, Dr. Sutherland and Dr. Mspletts,
lath Hasens. On the 20th alt., however, Colonel Owen,
C. 8., replaced Captain Laffan, the latter being sick. The "8n1&
lug " of the committee is included In the following extract :
" We have purposely refrained from quoting to any great ex-
tent the °riotous of the local authorities whom we' have
consulted, in order to show that the cue mn be established
upon the testimony of peewee who had not committed them-
selves to any previous opinions. We, however, believe the
whole of the opinions to be equally worthy of attention.
The unanimity of these op'nions is very remarkab'e, con.
Wain, se they do, unqualified expreettions of approval 211
to the soil, climate, and the general healthiness of the dis-
trict, and of the plans as being milted to the pnrpoee for
which the building was designed. We are, therefore, fag,
Instilled is coming to the conclusion—l. That the NW le
unobjectionable. 2. That the building is well adapted to the
purposes for which it was designed. 3. That it is net tie
sort of building beat adapted for a medical salmi m the
seals contemplated by Mr. Sidney Herbert's ,uoaftlik sof
was it designed far snob a parr... 4. Considering WIMP
expenditure already incurred at Metier, and the isusetane
of making early provision for the Ina of the envy; we le
not certainly recommend that an otherwise good
should converted into a barrack. 5. If • medical selittgitte
be established, it appears to us that the best *eke
would be at POMO /arse military station. Whalen, was the
Secretary of State may think proper to .40e, w big amt
respestfelly to tender our thanks for in. appeaneft his
gives as of roplyisg to the' conlidsedel viper! 7111111101
of the ratline@ attached to that report hire a esidge
=tee that it was intended to farther the of
Mk service; but, however unintentionallrir state
Stallia it contains sad le gaseral tone MA_ ..,61
throw gine delablil IVOR thejadinnist sad even slur
genes of every eller re professional pones whe he MO
etateened Ma soluden of the see, or in the pia.
-et the gees of Ile Royal Viotoria Hospital ; sad *elk
they ere, as ever= ohs is, liable to error, the ePtft Ve
have new the beam Se sate& shows that there Wire. at el
inmate, very seashell getends for the curse which they
lege ken due *thee nomeendsd." Dr. Bathed's& At
h• mamba ebb of the Una* and lasspial searessfea)
Jess east sawn, in the sisua newt, sad states Ids meow
fa ice wleth is printed in the return.
Catenotac—We regret to hear that thu
lady, to whom the whole of the Australian colonies sea
ander such deep obligations is lying dangerouslyzigt galtaid •
telegraphic message received from IC yneton last r
that very little hope is entertained of her recovery—it.-
booms Arens, May 13.
mest of
The British government, in acknowledg
the services rendered to the English marrhant venal E•ell
of Liverpool. which went on shore in March Isla d 'n"
coat of Dndjelli, has awarded gold medals to Chef One:
dram Greeley, the commandant at Djidjelli ; M. Jamas or.l_
misesey of the marine of that port ; Lieatraaat Oilivier rise
director of the port; and to Captain Erhard, chief IA me
Arai Byrum