The Sun.
London, England, 1858-11-01 00:00:00

EGYPT.

Oct. 18.—The passage of troops to
In
e time been interrupted through
tiLa tAsNg ,
ca
the want of a ,suffieient number of transports
on the Indian side of the Isthmus. The Oriental,
which left about the 20th ult. for Bombay with the
91st, is now shortly expected at Suez, and on her
arrival the 3d Buffs will probably be brought for-
ward from Corfu, where for some time past they
have been in readiness for embarkation. It will be
observed from this that a new system had been
brought into operation, which, although it entails
same slight loss of time, will prevent the recurrence
of the long detentions at Alexandria to which the
troops have so often been subjected. It is now
almost superfluous to say that the journey through
Egypt is performed with the utmost facility, and
every possible comfort both to men and officers.
The Suez Railway may at length be looked upon as
rapidly approaching its entire completion, and with
its progress that which from the first was attended
with little or nothing else but imaginary obstacles
is daily becoming more and more simple and easy.
Occasionally we hear of remonstrances on the part
of the commanding officers with reference to the
accommodation on board the Indian steamers, but
in no case do there appear to have been any com-
plaints of discomfort on the journey from Alexan-
dria to Suez. said Pasha evinces a desire to second
the wishes of the British Government in every way
in his power, and takes a personal interest in all
the arrangements that have been entered into. The
result will, of course, not be unattended with ad-
vantages to the transit department in a pecuniary
point of view ; but our acknowledgments will not
be considered the less due to the Viceroy for the
courteous and friendly feelings manifested by his
conduct. The fares paid for tho transit of the troops
are £5 per head for the officers and £3 for the men.
This will doubtless be an increasinc, sourse of profit
to the railway administration, at7d the ordinary
traffic of the railway bids fair to advance with even
more rapid strides. The Egyptian
can hardly fail soon to become perfectly alive to
the fact that that they hold in their hands a rail
way, the prospects of which, as a,
by those of commercialany Government
speeu-
lation, are probably unequalled Government
other line in the world.
Nothing has been heard at A Jexandria of the
Medina since she left for Candid
on the 6th inst.
She was to meet the steamer with the telegraph
cable from England at Cancer.lt is well under-
rat
stood that Captain Spratt is totally ad verse to the
proposed plan of commencing
vions at this
hise d
counselsof the li
prevail,Th eie can
and that ard l be a doubt that
Kill
ta
according to his
original advice the cable will bo paid out from the
Dardanelles.
M. Sabatier and Captain Pullen left Suez for
Jeddah on the Bth, by the Cy&tops. It is under-
stood that for the present the two Commissioners
will occupy themselves exclusiv yly with the adjust-

ment of the claims brought forward by the European
merchants for losses and damage sustained through
the late outbreak. The total amount of the indem-
nity demanded is said to exceed £500,000 sterling.
There is every reason to believe that these claims
will undergo very material reductions, but according
to all probability the sum which will ultimatelyhave
to be admitted will still be far above what can be
borne by the town of Jeddah, upon which it was
justly intended that the burden should fall. Istiail
Pasha and his prisoners have gone on to Constan-
tinople. What may be the intentions of the
Porte it is difficult to conjecture, but for the present
Jeddah continues without a Turkish Commissioner.
We have no news yet of the Duchayla ; before
this, however, she may possibly have arrived in the
Red Sea.
The great caravan of Egyptian pilgrims has ar-
rived at Cairo, and is described as being unusually
numerous, notwithstanding the more than ordinary
reductions which its numbers have this year under-
gone through disease and other causes inseparable
from the severe hardships of the journey. The
Mahhmil, or sacred carpet, as the ancient emblem
of Egyptian mediaeval Royalty is commonly, though
incorrectly called, made its entry into the city on
the 10th inst., with the customary pomp and re-
joicings. The Viceroy was there to receive it
in person, and the richly gilt and embroidered tent-
shaped fabric, resting on the back of a stately camel,
high above the surrounding crowds, was
borne
along through the streets of Cairo, attended by its
never-failing entourage of ragged saints and der-
vishes, with a strong escort of regular troops,
accompanied by their European bands, and with
the usual din and roars of welcome from the guns
of the citadel, the whole scene forming a strange
mixture of Oriental and European pageantry, the
glitter of barbaric gold, and in close proximity the
squalid rags of religious devoteeism.
Said Pasha continues for the present at Cairo, or
in its vicinity, engaged in his favourite pastime—
that of training and exercising his soldiers. The
procession of the Mahhmil was succeeded by a grand
review of some 12,000 or 13,000 men, and by last
accounts the Viceroy was encamped with his army
in the Desert near the city, busily occupied with his
military hobby, marching and coutermarching, and
doubtless in the height of enjoyment.
The young Prince of Oude is still at Cairo, lead-
ing a very retired life, and but seldom seen abroad.
He is residing at the house of an English shawl
merchant, a Nlahomedan from Lahore, who for
several years has been established in Egypt.