The Sun.
London, England, 1853-05-16 00:00:00

STATE OF EGYPT.

ALEXANDRIA, MAY 6.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Hindostan, with the Calcutta mail of the 7th of
April, and the China mail of the 27th of March,
arrived at Suez on the 2d instant, bringing 157
passengers, who proceed this day to England by
the Indus.
The water in the Mahmoudieh canal is exceed-
ingly low, and the Viceroy, Abbas Pasha, has
caused a considerable outcry by suddenly stopping
all steam communication between Alexandria and
Cairo, excepting for the India mails and passengers.
The traffic between the two towns has now risen
to considerable importance, and it suffers much
from this suspension. Several protests have been
made against Abbas Pasha on account of this act,
and there is no doubt that his Highness will have
to find means of keeping up the communication, as
it is argued that if a sufficiency of water can be ob-
tained for the conveyance of the India passengers,
the same may be found for those belonging to the
country. It appears that Abbas Pasha has
felt rather annoyed by the Austrian and French
Consuls, who, on the part of their respective
steam companies, have demanded that their
goods be carried through the country on the same
terms as those of the Peninsular and Oriental Com-
pany. The latter have a contract with the Egyp-
tian Government by which they do not pay more
than 81. per ton as an extreme rate, while all others,
without exception, are charged 141. per ton. The
demand is just and fair, and Abbas Pasha will have
to conform himself to it, as there is no reason
whatever why one company should enjoy so great
an advantage over all others.
When the railway between Alexandria and the
Nile shall be completed, the canal will lose much
of its present importance, and there will not be
that inconvenience and delay to the transit which
arises from a scarcity of water ; but the canal will
be much used at all times for the conveyance of
bulky goods, and the necessity of a constant sup-
ply of fresh water to this town should be a suffi-
cient inducement to keep it from deterioration.
But Abbas Pasha dislikes Alexandria and all con-
nected with it ; and, though his principal revenues
are derived from this place, and he should, con-
sequently, take an interest in its welfare, he will
never come near it.
On the 21st of April the new English Consul,
Mr. John Green, publicly read to the British resi-
dents assembled in the new consulate his commis-
sion from the Queen conferring his appointment.
The United States' corvette St. Louis and the
steamer San Jacinto arrived here last week ; the
latter bringing the new American Consul-General,
Judge Jones, who is gone up to Cairo to present
his credentials to Abbas Pasha. On the 23d of
April, Mr. A. Paget, who was acting Consul-
General for some time, left for a cruise on the coast
of Syria with Sir George Bannerman, in the yacht
Urania. The Hon. C. A. Murray will remain at
Cairo until the end of the summer, when he will be
relieved by Col. Rose, who is said to be his suc-
cessor.

Trade continues dull, and prices of all descrip-
tions of produce are falling.
The French frigate Jeanne d'Are and the steamer
Cayman have returned to Aden from their trip up
the Red Sea. They visited Mocha, Hodeida,
Massowa, and Jeddah, for the purpose, it is pre-
sumed, of determining upon a settlement in those
quarters. Some time ago they had purchased a
spot on the African side, south of Massowa, where
they had some intention of settling, but they found
the place unsuitable. There is a small island close
to Hodeida, on the Arabian side, which they think
would answer their purpose, but it belongs to the
Sultan of Turkey, and it would require a quarrel
for them to obtain possession of it. Since Aden
has been declared a free port the greater part of
the coffee of Yemen, which used to go to Mocha,
is now taken there, which has caused a great fall-
ing off in the revenues of the former place. The
late Pasha of Mocha wrote to the political agent at
Aden to expostulate on the subject, and begged
that he would again impose the former dues.

INCOME TAX.