The Sun.
London, England, 1853-07-18 00:00:00

[PricE sn.

owing to the Mahmoodeyeli Canal being quiet dry
in some places ; but since then water has been let
in by a subsidiary canal connected with the river,
so that the passengers from India were enabled to
come down in the usual way, though not without
much difficulty and delay. The Nile has begun to
rise again, and, as the railway between Alexandria
and the river will be open in a few months, the
Overland passengers will not in future be subject
to any of the annoyances and delays so often caused
by the canal.

The Viceroy might have availed himself of the
extreme lowness of the canal to clear it out and
deepen its bed, as was done in 1845 by Mehemet
Ali ; but his Highness thinks of his own immediate
interest to the exclusion of all others; and his idea
seems to be that, when the railway is completed,
he will semi his produce to Alexandria by that
means, and leave others to send their produce as
well as they best can.
Preparations are still going on for the departure
of the Egyptian fleet and 15,000 troops for Con-
stantinople, to assist the Sultan in case of need ;
but when it will take place it is impossible to tell,
as they are progressing very slowly, and Edhem
Pasha, the Viceroy's agent at Constantinople, has
sent word that it is a disgrace to Egypi that she
does not evince more zeal and alacrity in sending
her contingent to the Porte.
Abbas Pasha is spending his time at Benha, a
small town on. the Damietta branch of the Nile,
caring little about passing events ; and the Euro-
pean Consuls- General, who under ordinary circum-
cumstances keep near the Viceroy, have all left
him and come down to Alexandria, finding, from
experience, that his Highness pays theth gift little~
regard, and does not care to see them. Abbas
Pasha's grandfather, Mehemet Ali, would have
acted very differently in the present state of affairs,
and would have been at Alexandria himself to
hasten the departure of the fleet. The transit
through Egypt, which is of so much importance to
the country, and yields a very large revenue to
Abbas Pasha, occupies very little attention on the
part of his ighness ; and it was only at the very
last moment that measures were taken for the con-
veyance of the passengers round by the sea to the
Nile, while otherwise they would have been ex-
posed to a twelve hours' ride on donkeys in this
the hottest season of the year.
The fleet that is to go to Constantinople will con-
sist of three line-of-battle ships, four frigates, three
corvettes, and one brig, but, as the arsenal has been
totally Neglected since the death of Mehemet Ali,
the greater part of the sails have been distributed
over the country to be used as awnings and tents,
and it is with difficulty that the necessary articles
are found. It is much doubted whether the three
line-of-battle ships will be able to keep the sea for
any length of time, as they are in very poor condi-
tion, and the four frigates are about the best of the
whole lot.

These ships will be very inefficiently manned,
the crews being far from complete, and the num-
bers being made up by young conscripts recently
taken for the army.
In consequence of the demand for men for the
army and the fleet, Abbas Pasha has interdicted
the departure of Egyptian pilgrims for Mecca this
year.

- The river steamer Faid Rabbani, built for Abbas
Pasha in Glasgow, arrived here last week. This
gorgeous toy cost Abbas Pasha 50,0001., the hull
and machinery being about 11,0001., while the rest
has been expended on the ornamental parts, the
real value of which will not be at all appreciated.
The large steamer Faid Gehaad, which cost up-
wards of 90,0001., has not yet been seen by Abbas
Pasha, though she arrived here in January last,
nor has she once been moved from her moorings
since her arrival.

The month of Ramadan is just over, and the
natives are enjoying their holydays after their long
fast. This year the sufferings of the Mahomedans
have been greater than usual in consequence of the
time having fallen in the very hottest season of the
year. During the last 30 days all Mahomedans
were prohibited from eating, drinking, smelling,
smoking, and even intentionally swallowing their
saliva, and this lasted daily from two hours before
sunrise until sunset—that is 16 hours.

Prices of grain have risen very much here in con-
sequence of the unsettled state of affairs in Turkey,
and wheat and beans are from ss. to 6s. per quarter
dearer hero than they are in England. Shipping
very scarce. Exchange on London, 100 piastres
the pound sterling.