The Sun.
London, England, 1853-10-29 00:00:00

EGYPT.

ALEXANDRIA, OCT. 19.
Under date of the 10th inst., the Minister for
Foreign Affairs issued a circular to the several
Consuls, to the effect that, in consequence of the
deficiency in the crops, the Viceroy deemed it
necessary to stop the exportation of corn from
Egypt ; but that, in order, not to injure the inte-
rests of the mercantile community, his Highness
would allow them to ship to the extent of 400,000
ardebs (250,000 quarters), after which any further
exportation would be strictly prohibited.
The trade is in a most unsettled state ; prices are
very high, and vessels in port are obtaining from
14s. to
_lss. per quarter.

The Nile has this year risen higher than it has
during the last 20 years. Almost the entire valley
of Egypt is one sheet of water, and travellers pro-
ceed to the Pyramids in boats—an excursion which
in ordinary times occupies a three hours' ride from
Ghizeh, the nearest point on the river. The da-
mage done to the crops by this excess of water is
very great, and very extensive tracts of land sown
with Indian corn are covered with from three to
five feet of water, and the plants are consequently
destroyed. The villages and towns are reduced to
islets, and are only saved by the inhabitants rais-
ing embankments all round, which they watch day
and night with the greatest anxiety.
Abbas Pasha is still at Thor, on the Red Sea,
whence he will proceed to Akaba before returning
to Egypt.. His object in going there is said to be
to endeavour to induce some powerful Bedouin
chiefs, who are to meet his Highness there, to send
reinforcements of troops, in the shape of irregular
cavalry, to the assistance of the Sultan, to attack the
Russians towards Erzeronm and Circassia. The
ilgyptian army is still being increased, and it is now
calculated that there cannot beless than 55,000 troops
in the country independently of the 18,000 that
have been sent to Contantinople. The standing
army of Egypt, by convention with the Sultan
after the Syrian war, was limited to 30,000 men.
The result of the present state of war between
Turkey and Russia is looked upon with great
anxiety by all, and the expedition of troops and
the supplies that have to be sent for their main-
tenance are a great drain upon the resources of
the country. The progress of the railway works is
now very insignificant, from want of men and
materials, and the requirements of the English
engineers employed on the line are not properly
attended to.

Monsieur Mariette, a gentleman who is making
antiquarian researches for the French Government,
and who lately made some very interesting disco-
veries of tombs and under-ground temples in the
vicinity of the pyramids of Sakkara, is now actively
employed in excavating on the north side of the
Great Sphinx, near the Pyramids of Ghizeh, evi-
dently with the object of finding an entrance to a
temple or tomb.

TERRIFIC FIRE IN LITTLE MOORFIELDS, THIS DAT:."-
This morning, at half-past four o'clock, a most terrific
fire broke out on the extensive
premises of Mr. Wila.•
Leek, packing-case maker, Hi, Little Moorfields. „.„
police on duty discovered the flames raging in the wo!'
shops, when they instantly raised an alarm ; but owing
to the inflammable materials, the flames shot forth with
terrific fury. Messengers were dispatched for the Lou;
don Fire Brigade engines, which promptly arrived ; but
the flames spread with amazing rapidity, and communi-
cated to Messrs. Wm. Larke and Son's, carpenters 811"
builders, James Price's, licensed victualler, Thomeo
Chew and Son's, livery stable keepers, and A. C. Load'er's, upholsterer. After most strenuous exertions en the
part of the firemen to save the houses in Half 31°:14:1•
alley and Angel-alley, the fire was at length subdu►
but not until a very large amount of property was d
stroyed. It is believed the parties were insured.
NORWAY AND DENUARIC.—POST-OFFICE NOTICE!
Information having been received from the Norwegian
an
Post Office, that the steam-packet between Norway b
Denmark will cease running at the close of this urn");
the mails from the United Kingdom for Norway will
of
transmitted, on and from the 28th inst., by the wayto
Sweden. The rate of postage to be taken on letters
Norway will be ls. sd. the half-ounce, and so on,.
cording to the scale in operation in the United gi°4l%
dom for charging inland letters. This rate comPrl6to
both the British and foreign postage on the letters
id
the place of their destination, and it may be eitber.rsst
in advance or the letters may be forwarded unpatro,
the. option of the sender, except, however, as regartis
tb.
gistered letters, the postage upon which, as well
registration fee, must be paid in advance.