The Sun.
London, England, 1860-05-23 00:00:00

STATE OF EUYPT.

(From the Times' Correspondent.)
ALEXANDRIA, MAY 11.
The result of the meeting of subscribers to the
Isthmus of Suez Canal Company, about to be held
at Paris, is looked for with some feelings of curio-
sity. A show of carrying on works in the Suez
Desert is still kept up ; but every one is agreed that
it is nothing more than a mere pretence, and that
not the slightest real progress is made. Eve❑ M. de
Lesseps' friends show great reserve when questioned
on the subject. The information we derive from
them amounts to little more than that some sort of
temporary jetty and lighthouse have been built
at the Pelusian end of the canal, and that large
numbers of huts have been erected for labourers. A
great deal is added about limestone found in vari-
ous spots, and about shrubs and bushes scattered
over the ground which are destined to be made use
of for converting the said stone into lime.
On the other hand, we hear that obstacles arise
and interfere with even the merest initiatory ope-
rations of the labourers, to en extent far more
serious than even the most determined opponents
of the scheme had ventured to predict. Thus,
we hear of limekilns having had to be abandoned
almost as soon as built, because it was found impos-
sible to keep them clear of the sand, which
shows an obstinate tendency either to accumn-
, late around any obstacle it meets with in the
course of its flights, or else giving way beneath the
foundations and allowing the whole fabric gently
to subside within its bosom; or, again, we hear of
ditches having been dug to carry water to some
particular part of the works, also found useless,
because before the water has run many yards every
drop is found to be absorbed.

Unfortunately, the Egyptian Government has
not kept itself so completely aloof as to enable it
peremptorily to disclaim all responsibility, and to
maintain its innocence of having lent its counte-
nance and having encouraged the waste of money
that has been accomplished. Notwithstanding
their formal declarations that no attempts to un-
dertake the works would be permitted without the
sanction of the Porte, they have done more than
merely close their eyes to wiat was going for-
ward; thus, among other things, allowing mate-
rials to be imported free of duty, and stone to be
extracted gratis from the Government quarries. It
is more than probable, therefore, that Said Pasha
will some day have to resist an attempt to make
him pay the reckoning there will be between M. de
Lesseps and his ill-advised subscribers.
An arrangement has been concluded between
the English residents at Alexandria and the Bri•
tish Government by which the church we have
possessed here for some years past obtains the
rare privilege for similar foundations in foreign
countries of possessing a small fixed revenue.
The Government has agreed to take on lease a
plot 'of land, part of the spare ground upon
which the church stands, originally presented
to the British community by Mahommed Ali
Pasha. Of late years, through the immense
rise in the price of well situated lands suitable
for building purposes, it has become exceedingly
valuable. A rent of £340 per annum will be paid
for the ground to the church, and the Government
undertakes to erect a building upon it which will
comprise suitable consular residences and offices,
including accommodation for the British post-office,
court-house, and other official requirements. The
occupants will pay the Government a fair rent,
equivalent to that which they pay to private indi-
viduals for the scattered tenements they now occupy.
The arrangement will be advantageous to all
parties, and we shall have the satisfaction of seeing
the representatives of our Government and the
public offices we possess in this country accommo-
dated in a manner infinitely better adapted to their
requirements, more convenient to the public as
well as to themselves, and more in harmony with
the importance of their functions in Egypt, and
with the magnitude of our interests in this country,
and which, moreover, in the eyes both of foreigners
and of natives, will be more becoming to our dignity
uv a nation, thereby placing ourselves 0n Q i.vei
with our
neighbours, who, with their cha-
racteristic appreeiatiou of the advantages of heir',"
placed in a high and independent position in the
eyes of Oriental nations, have for many years
possessed a handsome building, combining in an
eminent degree the requirements referr d to, and
situate in the most central part of the town, while
the British offices had to be looked for in 1)3-st reels
and corners.

At the beginning of this week we experienced a
sharp shower of rain—a very unusual phenomenon
at this season of the year. It has, unfortunately,
caused some very serious damage to the Cairo and
Suez Railway. A portion of the embankment in
the Desert over an extent of about six miles has
been more or less washed away, and telegraph posts
have come down, thereby interrupting the commu-
nication with Suez, This part will soon be reme-
died, but the injury done to the embankment will
be more difficult to repair, and it is said will require
at least 15 days' labour of some 2,000 men.
Information has been received in Egypt of the
death of Mr. Plowden, her Majesty's Consul in
Abyssinia. He is stated to have died of wounds
received in an attack made upon him by one of the
chiefs under Negoussi, the rebel Governor of Tigre,
while he was travelling through that province on
his way from Gondar to Massowa. He was ran-
somed by King Theodore for 1,000 dollars, but was
already in a dying state. The assistance rendered
to the Governor of Tigre by the French, in return
for the grant of territory which he has made to
them on the seacoast, is said to be largely contri-
buting towards enabling him to resist the authority
of Theodore.

TILE PUBLIC ILE,4LTIL

(From the Registrar-General's Weekly Return.)

In the week that ended last Saturday the total
number of deaths registered in London was 1,090,
exhibiting a decrease in the rate of mortality as
compared with that of the earlier period of the pre-
sent month, when the weekly numbers were suc-
cessively 1,205 and 1,111. In the ten years 1850-9
the average number of deaths in the weeks corre-
sponding with last week, corrected for increase of
population, was 1,148. The comparison shows that
the deaths now returned were less by 58 than they
would have been if the average rate of mortality
had prevailed.
The mortality from smallpox continues to decline.
In the winter months the weekly deaths from this
disease rose in some instances above 40 ; in the last
four weeks they have been in succession, 20, 18, 16,
and 14. Of 41 deaths from measles 21 occurred on
the south side of the river; 4 were in the sub-
district of St. Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey, 2 in
that of Peckham, 3 in Rotherhithe, 2 in the sub-
district of St. Paul, Deptford, 2 in Greenwich West.
On the north side measles carried off 2 children in
Long-acre sub-district, 3 in Islington %Vest, 2 in
Hoxton Old-town, 2in Limehouse. There were 30
deaths from scarlatina, and 11 from diphtheria.
Phthisis carried off 174 persons, the corrected ave-
rage being 152.
Of four children whose deaths were caused by
suffocation, three were suffocated in the bedclothes,
one by food. Five children received fatal burns or
scalds ; the son of a bricklayer's labourer, aged 17
months, was scalded by the upsetting of a basin of
hot broth ; the daughter of a tinplateworker, aged
2 years, by her motheri,upsetting a saucepan of
water ; and the son of a shoemaker, aged 2 years,
from the upsetting of a kettle of boiling water ; a
boy and girl died from burns received by means
not stated. A woman died at the age of 95 years,
and a man at 97.

Last week the births of 867 boys and 835 girls,
in all 1,702 children, were registered in London.
In the ten corresponding weeks of the years 1850-59
the average number was 1,601.
At the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, the mean
height of the barometer in the week was 29 600 in.
The barometrical readings fell to 29.23 in, on Friday,
and rose to 29.80 in. on Saturday, being respectively
the lowest and highest in the week. The mean
temperature of the air in the week was 54.4 deg.,
which is 1.9 deg. above the average of the same
week in 43 years (as determined by Mr. Glaisher).
The thermometer in the shade fell to 43 6 deg., its
lowest point in the week on Wednesday, and it
rose to 69.8 deg., its highest, on Saturday. The
range of temperature in the week was therefore
26.2 deg. The mean daily range was 17.7 deg.
The difference between the mean dew-point tem-
perature and air temperature was 4.1 deg. On
Saturday the thermometer in the sun rose to
113 deg. The mean temperature of the water
of the Thames was 56.4 deg. The mean degree
of humidity of the air was 89. On four days
the humidity was from 91 to 97, complete satura-
tion being represented by 100. The wind was
almost always in the southwest. The quantity of
rain in the week was exce,s4ye, There were 2.22

in., of which 0.79 in. fell on Sunday, one inch on
Monday, 0.20 in. on Thursday, 0.19 in. on Friday,
and the rest on other days except Saturday. The
rain on Monday, measuring one inch, fell between
noon and 1 o'clock p.m. ; and of this there fell ninc-
tenths of an inch in 20 minutes. There were thun-
der and lightning on Tuesday.

PRINCE CONSTANTINE CZARTORISKI.

Prince Constantine Czartoryski, who died at
Vienna, in the month of April last, was one of the
notabilities among Polish patriots. He was born
at Warsaw in 1773, and was educated, together
with hii elder brother, Prince Adam (at present
residing in Paris), under the care of distinguished
masters, such as Grodeck, of Gottingen ; L'huillier,
of Geneva ; the Abbe Piramowicz, and the poets
Kniaznin and Karpinski. A tour of Europe, and
a long stay in England served to complete the educa-
tion of the two princes, and to develop their habits
of observation.
The insurrection raised by Kosciuszko gave the
first opportunity for the display of their patriotism ;
and the Empress Catharine having subsequently
confiscated the property of their father, only rein-
stated them in their rights at the earnest solicita-
tions of the Court of Vienna, and on condition that
they should reside in St. Petersburg in the charac-
ter of hostages. After having remained until the
year 1793, in Grodno, with their uncle, King Sta-
nislas Augustus, they repaired to the capital of the
empire, and were compelled to enter the Russian
Army. While at the Russian Court they were re-
ceived as the intimate companions of the Grand-
Dukes Alexander and Constantine. Prince Con-
stantine Czartoryski left the service shortly before
his brother was appointed ambassador to Sardinia.
When the campaign against Austria was com-
menced, in 1809, Prince Constantine was at Pulawy.
He took part in the war with the most patriotic
ardour, and levied, at his own expense, a regiment
of infantry, the organisation of which earned for him
the warmest thanks of Prince Poniatowski, and
the rank of colonel of the regiment, which was
incorporated under the name of the 16th of the
Line. Among his officers were men of great'
distinction, such as Bolesta Dobrogoyski and
others, the future commander-in-chief of the Po-
lish army, General Skrzynecki, serving in the
regiment as captain of the grenadiers. Among
the various brilliant feats of arms performed by
this regiment, its conduct at the siege of Smo-
lensko is more particularly cptoted. The Empe-
ror Napoleon decorated the brave and intrepid
colonel with his own hand, and nominated him
an officer of the Legion of Honour. Subsequently
Prince Poniatowski presented him with the Polish
Cross (virtuti militari) Unfortunately, Prince
Constantine Czartoryski's distinguished military,
career was cut short at the battle of Mozaisk,
where his horse was killed under him, and het
himself received so serious a contusion that hel
was forced to leave the service, to his own infinite
regret. Having been nominate aide-de-camp
general to the Emperor Alexander 1., on the erec-I
tion of the kingdom of Poland, he soon asked and
received leave to retire on account of his health.

In 1831, at the time when the Austrian Cabinet'
seemed favourably disposed towards the Polish'
cause, Prince Constantine Czartoryski became an
active mediator between that Cabinet and the In-
surrectional Government; and when, subsequently,
a painful malady prevented him from serving his
country, his house at Vienna was ever hospitably,
open to his Polish fellow-citizens. Being a great
lover of art, and endowed with a penetrative mind
and considerable powers of judgment, he became
more especially the Mecenas of all distinguished
Polish artists and men of letters, who will ever;
gratefully remember the generous support and pro-
,
tection he vouchsafed to them.