The Sun.
London, England, 1858-01-28 00:00:00

THE TRANSIT THROUGH EGYPT.

ALEXANDRIA, Jaw :la.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Candia, with the Calcutta and China mails, arrived
at Suez on the evening of the 14th inst., about
three days before they were actually due, and fully
two days have oonsequently been lost in Egypt,
during which the homeward mails have lain at
Alexandria awaiting the arrival of the steamers
from England. This is far froth being the worst or*
the first instance of a similar nature, but one al-
teration having recently been made in the postal
communication between England and 'the East, I
mention the detention more particularly on this
occasion, because it clearly demonstrates the neces- •
sity for further improvements, with the view of
attaining the 'object which ere long will on all sides
be peremptorily insisted upon, namely, that there
shall be no avoidable delay on any point of the
route whatsoever. It is obviously impossible to
contrive arrangements by which the arrivals of the
boats from England and from India will be abso-
lute and at all times simultaneous. The only
way, therefore, of avoiding frequent delay is to
have the steamers at Suez and at Alexandria before-
hand, ready to carry forward the mails and passen-
gers immediately on their arrival, the inward boat
remaining in port for the following transist. This,
or some similar plan, will of a certainty ere long be
carried into execution, although there may be ob-
stacles which for the present still render its adop-
tion a matter of more or less difficulty. •
byTthe arrival
hatotth of the C
e HoiEasant.da was
lindia followedeom next daypany,ssteamer
Punjaub, from Bombay, one of the two boats ap-
pointed to receive the 71st Highlanders en route to
India. Of the other steamer—the Feroze—we
were without tidings until this morning, but the
Candia had brought-no information of her having
reached Aden. This morning a telegraphic de-
spatch from Suez announced ber arrival there,
bringing the untoward news that the East India
Company's steamer Ajdaha, which left Suez about
the 24th ult., with 270 men of the 69th and the
outward London mails of the 10th of December,
had returned to Aden in a leaky state after having
proceeded about 300 miles on her voyage. The
men were to be transferred to the Alma, which has
remained at Aden since her breakdown, and the
Candia is preparing to receive them and to carry
them on to their destination.
Her Majesty's steamer Vulture, with about 200
men of the 71st Highlanders, reached Alexandria
from Malta on the 10th inst., and the Princess
Royal arrived five days after : the latter drawing,
two feet more than the depth of water on the bar,
is shut out of the harbour, and the weather having
been very rough she could not anchor outside, but
was obliged to cruise off the port until yesterday,
when the men were transferred to the Vulture.
To-day the whole are to be landed, and to be sent
forward to Suez. At that place, however, there
will again be some days' delay, the Punjab
and the
Feroze having to take in large stocks of coal and
water, which, at Suez, more especially, is a work
of some labour. The men will on this occasion
again be provided with donkeys to carry them across
the 25 miles of Desert intervening leatween Suez,
and the extremity of the railway.
There has been a marked improvement in busi-
ness during the past fortnight, and both cotton
and breadstuffs have undergone successive advances
in prices. Said wheat is quoted 265. 6d. to 275.
9d. per quarter free on board ; beans 225. 6d. to
235. 6d. ; barley about 14s. The sales of cotton
since the 4th inst., are computed at about 22,350
cantors, at prices varying from about 6d. to Bd.
per lb. f. o. b., according to quality. Exchanges
are firm at 1011 piasters per £ for three mouths'
bills on London. The demand for shipping has
likewise improved.