The Sun.
London, England, 1867-06-12 00:00:00

THE COMbIERCE OF EGYPT.

Mr. Consul Stanley, in his report on the trade
and commerce of the port of Alexandria in 1866,
says :—" In 1865, 4,263 ♦essels entered, and in the
ten years comprised from 1856 to 1865, there en-
tered 26,914 vessels, giving an average of 2,691 per
year. In 1866 there arrived 3,703 vessels. British
vessels in 1866 maintained their proportion of the
carrying trade to Alexandria. This has always been
much larger than that of any other nation ; and
although the number of Turkish and Egyptian ships
considerably exceeds the British, the tonnage of the
latter is much greater, amounting to nearly half the
tonnage arriving from all nations. The development
of the railways, and the introduction of steam power
for irrigation and cotton gins and pressure,
have added largely to the coal required for the
country ; and the wealth of the people, consequent
on the profits derived from the cultivation of cotton,
has largely contributed to th 3 general use of British
manufactured goods amongst the rural population.
Railways and canals are being pushed forward with
much vigour. In addition to the main lines from
Alexandria to Cairo and Suez, various branches
have been made in the interior to the large towns of
Zagazig, Mehallat-et-Kebir, Mansur* and very
shortly the latter line will be completed northwards
to Damietta. A new line is also making to Suez.
It will leave the main line at Benba, 30 miles from
Cairo, will pass through Balbies and Zagazig, and
follow the fresh water line to Suez. The Viceroy is
also constructing a line southward from Cairo. It
is finished as far as Benisonef, 70 miles, and will
shortly be opened to Alinieh, 120 miles. It is said
to be the intention of the Viceroy to carry it to
Keneh, near Thebes, whence to Cossier, a port on
the Red Sea ; it is 90 miles. To extend the line
eventually to the ancient Berenin, and make it a
port for mail steamers, is also said to be a plan of
the Viceroy's. The telegraph is in operation to all
the towns, and almost every village of importance
in Lower Egypt. The trade of Egypt, during the
year 1866, was far from prosperous ; at the same
time, the mercantile community displaying great
prudence and foresight in times particularly critical,
may altogether be congratulated on having so well
passed a most trying ordeal. Failures took place in
the bazaars and amongst Levantines, a total want
of confidence and a disinclination to trade were for
a time experienced ; but if the Europeans did not
make gains, they, at least, to some extent avoided
losses ; and it is confidently hoped that the year
1867 will prove more advantageous to commercial
interests."

THE NAVAL REVIEW.—The grand review of the
British fleet is appointed to be held on the 15th, 16th, and
17th of July. The naval force engaged will include all
available ships on the home stations, as well as the coast-
guard vessels and the gunboats, and it will assemble at
Spithead on the 9th. Accommodation will be specially
provided for the representatives of her Majesty's Govern-
ment and for the members of both Houses of Parliament to
witness the imposingspectacle.
PENCIL-MAKING.—One of the many attractive
processes of manufactures that has been, and, no doubt,
will continue to attract great attention in the Paris Exhi-
bition, is the lead pencil-making by the artisans from Mr
C. S. Cohen's establishment iu London—the invention of
an improved process of making black-lead pencils. The
lead is placed within the slips of cedar iu a complete and
perfect length in the most expeditious and Skilful manner,
and the pencil is so rapidly perfected that every visitor is
anxious to possess the trifling souvenir of the Exhibition
he has seen manufactured. The lead pencils of Mr. Cohen
have attained great celebrity and very extensive patronage
in the artistic profession and drawing-schools in the me-
tropolis on account of the superior quality of the com-
pressed Cumberland lead used in their manufacture, their
colour, and the ease with which they rub out—two very
very important particulars in drawing pencils. The red
and blue pencils of the same manufacturer, so extensively
used in London, and which received the prize medal at the
Exhibition in 1862, seemed to meet with the most exten-
sive patronage in Paris.
The course of exchange at New York ku London for bills as
60 days' sight is about 110 per cent. At this rate there is
a sma 1 profit on the importation of gold from the United
States.