The Sun.
London, England, 1840-08-26 00:00:00

EGYPTIAN NEWS.

(From the Semaphore de Marseilles)
ALEXANDRIA, AUG. 7.—On the 29th ult., as soon
as M. Cochelet had read the despatches brought to
him by the Etna, he waited upon the Viceroy to ac-
quaint him with their contents. Tile strictest secrecy
was observed by him with regard to the nature of the
instructions he received by that vessel, but they are

conceived to be of the highest import.
The recommendation of M. Cochelet to the French
merchants to act with prudence, on account of the
gravity of circumstances, has created here considerable
alarm. It was at a meeting conveyed for the purposes
of electing commercial deputies that M. Cochelet gave
that. caution to his countrymen.
On the 30th ult. an extraordinary courier started for
Arabia to recall the Egyptian army from that country.
The Viceroy has ordered Achmet Pacha not to leave
a single soldier in it, and even to evacuate the holy
cities, which will again fall into the hands of the Wa-
habites. This decision, if absolute, may have fatal
consequences for Constantinople. It was observed that
this courier was sent off. twenty-four hours after the ar-
rival of the Etna.
The Viceroy leaves to-day on a tour through Lower
Egypt.
No ca'e of plague had manifested itself 'during the
four last days. The Nile rises with extraordinary. rapi-
dity, and is to-day 20 pies in height.
Sir Moses Montefiore, iu his interview with the
Pacha, addressed to him a discourse, of which the fol-

lowing is an abstract :
" A crime has been committed in Damascus, w
which the Jews have been charged. The Governmen
of that city has had recourse to horrid tortures in order
to extort confessions from the accused. But as soon as
your Highness was made acquanted with those facts,
moved by the sentiments of justice and humanity which
have ever distinguished you, have caused the proceed-
ings to be suspended, and directed the matter to be in-
vestigraed.
" On being informed of these circumstance:, we set
out to afford assistance to our co-religionists, placed
under your protection. We accordingly beg of you to
give us a firman, drawn up in the most authentic form,
land investing us with the most extensive powers, autho-
rizing us to interrogate at Damascus all individuals
from whom we may expect to derive information on this
painful affair, to call them before us whenever we deem
it expedient, and in whatever places we may think
proper.
" We also request that on our arrival at Damas-
cus the said firman may be posted up in the streets
and in all the public places."
The reply of the Pacha is not known.
There are at this moment in Alexandria 19 ships of
the line :(12 of which are Egyptian, of 100 guns, and
7 Turkish), 15 large frigates, and as many corvettes and
brigs. This fleet, armed with 3,000 pieces of artillery,
has been drawn up in three lines, in order to oppose
an attempt to force the entrance of the harbour ; and
batteries have been established before all the passages,
so that it may be said, without exaggeration, that the
roads are protected
.by an impenetrable barrier.
BEYROUT, JULY 28 —A few days ago 200 Alba-
nians and 300 Egyptian cavalry arrived from Haniman
for the purpose of escorting a convoy of provisions and
ammunition for the army.
The system of intimidation resorted to since the re-
cent revolt of the Maronitc villages continues to be en
forced with r'gour by the Albanians and Druses, who
are now acting in concert. The mountaineers will not
be able for a long time to attempt a new insurrection.
The French Consul, who refused to join Capt. Napier
in a protest against the armed terror now pervading the
mountainous districts, has written to Soliman
praying him to abandon the harsh measures directed
against the Maronites, and energetically insisting on