The Sun.
London, England, 1848-01-12 00:00:00

THE NE w GOVERNOR-GENERAL

OF INDIA.
As eurree account of the trip to Alexandria with
the Governor-General of India may not be unac-
cee.te:ole to our readers, we subjoin the followirg
ex, race from the letter of a passenger on board her
Areeiesty's steeam-frigate Sidon, dated Malta, Dec. 27.
" The passage from England to Malta was per-
formed in 'about the average time, nothing of any
Interest leaving occurred during the voyage.
et We touched at Lisbon, Gibraltar, and stood well
orer to the African shore, thus affording his Excel-
lericy nn opportunity of seeing Algiers and that line
of cotest.
"'On arriving at Malta we were much disappointed
at 'Ending the Admiral and fleet on a cruise off Naples.
Ha ving coaled ship here, we proceeded to Alexandria,
veleere we arrived on Saturday, the 4th of December.
"It was evident from the excitement consequent
on our arrival that the Sidon had been some time
ez petted, as our anchor had scarcely been dropped
ere a galley put off, in which wire the Pacha's
Prime Minister, Artina Bey, and Mahomet Bey, the
captain of the port. Shortly afterwards Captain
Lyons, the East India Company's agent, came off to
mike the necessary arrangements for the passage up
to Cairo. At one o'clock his Excelleney landed,
under a salute of nineteen guns from the Egyptian
batteries, which was returned by
the Sidon, the Turk-
ish flag having previously received a royal salute.
" The teext day (Sunday) his Excellency attended
Divine service in the Consulate chapel, and then em-
barked in the Pacha's own steamer, on the Mahmoudie
Canal, for passage to Atfeh, where the Pacha's steam-
yacht was in attendance to convey us up the Nile.
This steamer, it appears, had been waiting the Go-
vernor-G-eneral's arrival for ten days. We found her
Stted up in the most sumptuous style of luxury; the
state cabins were lined with embroidered satin, and
the ceiling covered with white brocaded silk, the
floors being tesselated with the choicest woods, and
highly polished.
A. splendid d6euner was prepared, consisting of
the rarest productions of the season and the choicest
and finest wines, which were supplied with the Pacha's
usual liberality, his own cook officiating, and his pri-
vate servants being in attendance.
" Artim Bey accompanied his Excellency to Cairo,
emel was most assiduous in his attention.
On arriving opposite Shubra, about three miles
from Cairo, we noticed the left bank of the river
thronged with spectators, whose diversity of costume
presented a novel scene to those accustomed to nought
but European sights.
"At Shubra his Excellency disembarked. A
regiment of Egyptian Lancers drawn up to receive
Yen, accompanied him to the palace of Abbas Pacha,
the Paella's second son, which had been prepared for
his use ; the fine band of the regiment preceding the
carritge, playing several English airs in most excel-
lent style. As our arrival took place towards dark the
palace was most brilliantly illuminated, and fitted in
every way for the reception of its distinguished guest.
"The next day (Tuesday), at two o'clock, his Ex-
cellency proceeded in one of Mehemet Ali's state car-
riages (drawn by six beautiful Arabians), accompa-
nied by the Countess, Captain llenderson (of the
Sidon), and his suite, in full dress to pay his visit of
onremony to his Highness.
" Cairo appeared quite alive, the cortege as it
passed everywhere creating quite a sensation, and
attracting multitudes of anxious spectators, as the
cracking of the running footmen's whips caused an
opening in the crowd. And here it was net a little
amusing to see the. nimble little Cairo donkey and
the great unwiedly dromedary shuffling out of the
way in double quick time, amid the shouts and
uproar of their Arab drivers, who, had they not shown
,more than European dexterity in effecting their
oseape, would have received (as some few did) rather
an unceremonious lash of the whip across their ill-clad
shoulders. Having arrived at the citadel, in the
square of which the Pacha's palace is situated, we
found the troops drawn out in martial array, the
hands playing, and everything arranged in the
gayest manner possible. We then alighted and were
ushered into a fine hall, and passing through one or
two long corridors, at the end of one a splendid
curtain of crimson satin was withdrawn, and we
found ourselves in the presence of his Highn?ss
Mehemet Ali.
"The room or divan in which he received us was a
spacious square apartment, with richly stained glass
windows, which opened by a torte femetre upon a
beauteous pleasure-ground, fragrant with the orange
blossom and the perfume of a thousand choice exotics.
The floor of this room was covered with a Persian
carpet of most costly price and of the most exquisite
fabric. The ottoman which surrounded the room
was sumptuously cushioned with cloth of velvet
and satin interwoven of a dusky crimson colour,
and slightly elevated in the right-hand corner
,of the room sat the object of our greatest
interest, :Mehemet Ali himself. As Lord and
Lady Dalhousie, &c., were presented he re-
mained seated in the Turkish style, with his legs
crossed. The Hon. Mr. Murray, the Consul. General,
introducing the party, and Artim Bey interpreting in
French.
" His Highness is certainly a most striking. looking
personage ; his beard, which is of snowy whiteness,
giving a most venerable effect to a face of more than
ordinary penetration and intelligence. His forehead
is high and broad, and his eye keen and restless, and
during our visit it wandered from face to face with
most amusing quickness and scrutiny.
" Atter a conversation, which occupied some twenty
minutes, and the subject of which we were unable to
get hold of, pipes were called for, and such pipes—
umber mouth-pieces of the size of an egg, covered
with brilliants, the average value of each mouth-piece
being 1001. ; and first the Countess was presented
with one, and then his Excellency and suite; and it
was not a little amusing to watch her Ladyship en-
deavouring to manage her novel, and we must say,
xatber unsuitable chibook. A few minutes having
teen devoted to the narcotic weed, coffee was brought
in little china cups, resting in sockets of blue enamel,
perfectly rough with diamonds. Coffee finished, we
took our leave, highly delighted with a visit which
amply fulfilled our most sanguine expectations.
" Next day (Wednesday) Lady Dalhousie, paid a
visit to her Highness Naaby Hanum, the Pacha's
eldest daughter, at her harem near Rhoda, on the
banks of the Nile. She was met at the gates of this
residence by four of the royal eunuchs, who, two on
each aide, conducted her into her Royal Highness's
tiugust presence. Her visit was most interesting,
end she was treated with great distinction. Every-
thing in the harem is on the most magnificent scale,
and in the grand square or court-yard is the splendid
:silver fountain presented to Mehemet Ali by the
Last India Company, and which I was told he values
very highly.
" The day after visits of ceremony were paid to the
'members of the Pacha's family, then in Cairo, and her
ladyship called upon Mehemet Ali's youngest daughter,
who was lately married to Kara Pacha.
" Thursday evening having been fixed upon for his
Excellency's crossing the desert to Suez, a light
chariot and six, with three ' transit vans,' were in
attendance at the residence of the Consul-General,
where his Excellency dined, and at half-past nine
o'clock the party, amongst whom was Captain Hen-
demon, of the Sidon, proceeded to Suez.
" At Suez, the Moozuffer, Honourable Company's
;steamer, was in waiting, on board which his Excel-
leelie,y_iind suite immediately embarked.
onboardWe
cannot speak too highly of the arrangements
the Sidon for his Excellency's reception, nor
of the assiduous and unwearied attention paid to his
guests by
manner and Captain Henderson,.. whose urbanity of
the respect and kindness of disposition must insure him
ttFe!et-ion of all who have the pleasure
and privilege of his acquaintance."
PARIS

"LINTY OF SCIENCES.
SAUIT TirTG, or
li i-siiic _
. 20, 1847.
ON TUE TAKING of PUOToGaapinc
IMAGES ON GLASS,
BY M. NIEPCP;T thisEITITICTOIL.
" Although my labours subject are quite in
the rough, yet I hasten to themmake known, such
as they are, not doubting but that rapid
be made in this subject by hands
ore Progress will
experienced
than mine, and by persons who have the opportunity
of working at it under much more favourable condi-
tons than I have been able to obtain.
4i I will now indicate the means which I haveth
hitherto employed, and which have given me
most satisfactory results without being perfect; and
e
as everything depends on the preparation of the glass
plate, it will be better, first of all, to explain the
mode of preparing the substances employed.
"I take 5 grammes (11 drachms) of starch, which
I mix with 5 grammes of water, and afterwards with
DS grammes more of water ; to this I add 35 centi-
grammes (about 5 grains of iodine of potassium, dis-
solved in 5 grammes of water. I place this mixture
over the fire, and when the starch is boiled I allow it
to cool and throw it on a filter of linen, after which I
run it on the plate of
glass,
taking care to cover the
whole of the surface as equally as possible: After
baying wiped the under • side, I place it on a level
aurface, perfectly horizontal, that it may dry as
quickly as possible, in the sun or i
to obtain a coating that will not
b n a stove, in order
e cracked, that is to
say, that the glass be not covered
with circles in those
parts where the coating is less thick than others (an
effect produced, I consider, by the iodide
potas-
sium). The starch should always be of
porcelain vessel, and the quantity iprhepared in a
have above.
mentioned will be found enough to
coat a dozen
Plates of glass of a quarter size. By this it will
appear that it is easy to prepare a large number of
p ates at one time. Care must be taken not to allow
any bubbles of air to remain, as they would produce
=nail holes in the impression.
"The plate of glass having been prepared in this
'T anner, it will be sufficient, when you wish to ope-
rnte, to apply the aceto-nitrate of silver by means of
a piece of paper dipped several times in that prepara-
tion; tifteZ which take 4 aecowl piece of paper, moist.