The Sun.
London, England, 1840-11-27 00:00:00

BLOCKADE OF ALEXANDRIA.

The following communication, which must have been re-
ceived by Rear-Admiral Louis, at Malta, on the 26th of Oc-
tober, per Hydra, was not notified to the trade until the 7th of
.Islovemner following :

" Chief Secretary's Office, Valetta,
7th of November, 1840.
Sitity---i em directed It/ his Excellency the Governor to
transmit to you, for the information of the merchants, a copy
of a letter from the Admiral Commander-in-Chief, dated the
23d of October, on the state of affairs in the East, communi-
cated to his Ekcellency Query Under what data ? Without
which information it Is :Impossible to know who is to blame for
withholding the same from the trade for no less a period than
thirteen days!] by Rear-Admiral Sir John Louis.
" I have the honour to be, Sir, you; most humble servant,
" H. GREIG, Chief Secrstsry to Government.
" To the Chairman of the Committee of
British Merchants, &c. &c."

i "Princess Charlotte, Beyront, Oct. 23, 1840.
"Sirs-=:4 have received your letter of the 4th instant with its
inclosures relatite to the blockade of Alexandria, in answer to
which I have to inform you that as soon as appearances no
longer countenanced the hope of the Pacha of Egypt's accep-
tanye of the terms offered to him by the Porte, I thought it
right ft/ Caution any English and Austrian ships going into
Alexandria of the uncertain state of affairs, but nothing more.
On the 26th ult., in consequence of instructions from her Ma-
jesty's Ambassador accompanying the declaration of a rigid
blockade by the Porte, I communicated the same to Captain
fisher, of the Asia, the senior offieer at Alexandria, but at the
same time acquainted him that in consequence of a representa-
tion by the English and Austrian Consuls, stating that some
merchants of their respective nations had purchased and
paid for suagry articles which were shipping at Alexandria, and
tetptesting thit such vessels might be allowed -to sail from
Alexandria, I had acquainted the Consuls that vessels so cir-
cumstanced wend tts he rovided with a ce•tificate from the
Vice-Consuls who rellittitred st Alexandria, ascertaining the
facts, and that such vessels :fete to be permitted to pass, On
the 13th of this month, I received a second intimation of a
rigid blockade by the Porte, to conimenee on the 13th, or a
month after the previous notice, which I communicated by the
earliest opportunity I had to Captain Fisher ; and considering
the former notice vitiated by the subsequent one, I directed
Captain Fisher to extend the time for the commencement of
the blockade to the period stated in the Austrian Consul's
lett,,r, after the notice of it should be given (twenty daysl
recommending Captain Fisher, whose judgment and con-
sideration I had great reason to approve of, to favour the mer-
cantile :Merest as far as he could consistently with the support
he was bound to afford to the blockade established by the
Sublime Porte. You may assure his Excellency, the Governor,
for the information of the merchants of Malta, that whatever
has been done on this unpleasant occasion has been from a real
consideration of their interests, and an anxiety to prevent their
suffering by the then impending rupture with the Pacha of
Egypt, and every facility granted for the removal of their pro-
perty. " I hare the honour, &e.,
" R. STOPFORD, Admiral.
" To Rear-Admiral Sir J. Louis, Bart., &c., &c., Malta."