The Sun.
London, England, 1857-01-02 00:00:00

PERSIA.

A letter from St. Petersburg, in the Debats, says :
—" There is no doubt that a convention has been
concluded between this Government and Persia
with a view to certain eventualities. The Court of
Teheran will probably accede to a wish of Rus-
sia, and give up to her on the Araxes a point which
forms the limit of the two States. This point is
ofigreat importance as regards the unsubdued Tur-
comans who seriously disturb the Russian frontier.
At the place where the Araxes falls into the
Caspian Sea, there is a small island which Persia
recently allowed the Russians to occupy. The
negotiations relative to the cession of a small por-
tion of territory on the Araxes are still pending.
Under any circumstances Persia will endeavour,
before having recourse to Russia, to arrange her
differences with England. It is thought here that
Persia will consent to abandon her conquest of
Flerat, if England will make some concessions
which are necessary for the safety of the Persian
frontier."

EGYPT.
ALEXANDRIA, DEC. 22.

The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Valetta arrived here this day with the London
mails of the 10th inst. The Bengal, from Calcutta,
and the Gangas' from Bombay, reached Suez on
the 16th and 17th inst., and will have to wait the
contract time for the Southampton mails, due by
the Ripon, of which there were no tidings at Malta
when the Valetta left that island at noon on the
19th inst.

The captain and crew of the Myra, of Sunder-
land, have brought intelligence of the total destau-
tion by fire of that vessel, while on her way hither
with a cargo of coals from Newcastle. The fire
appears to have been the effect of spontaneous com-
bustion, and its existence in the hold of the vessel
was first discovered on the 4th inst., when she was
in longitude 28 deg. east, and about 40 miles from

the coast of Egypt. Water was poured down upon
the cargo, but without effect, and Captain Hunt
soon found himself compelled to have the hatch( e
reclosed. All sail was kept on, in the hope of
reaching Alexandria ; but, unfortunately, little
progress could be made, owing to light winds.
Meanwhile, large quantities of gal appear to have
been generated, and on the 6th inst. an explosion
took place, by which the decks of the vessel were
completely torn up. The captain and crew took
to the boats, and half-an-hour after they had left
the vessel she was enveloped in one sheet of flame.
They made for the nearest part of the coast, but
in landing the boats were stove in. At Arabs'
Tower the crew were furnished with provisions, as
also with camels and horses, by which they were
conveyed to Alexandria, were they arrived on the
10th inst.

The pilotage arrangements in the harbour of
Alexandria have often given rise to complaint
among both English and foreign shipmasters. The
reforms that are demanded seem, however, to re-
solve themselves into the two following points—
namely, that the pilot boats should receive strict in-
junctions to display a conspicuous signal, enabling
vessels to recognise them, without fear of the peril•
ous mistakes to which they are now liable ; and 2dly,
that they should be required to go farther out to
sea, at least sufficiently to be quite clear of the en-
trance to the channel ; but in order to enable the
pilots to accomplish this, especially in rough wea-
ther, when the precaution is most needed, it will
become necessary to provide them with decked
vessels of greater tonnage than the boats now in
use. It will, perhaps, appear strange that ships
should still be so dependent upon the assistance
of pilots, considering that the principal channel
Ileading into the harbour has been marked off with
buoys and beacons, but it is doubtful whether
pilots could ever be entirely dispensed with, and
the absence of either charts or sailing direc-
tions renders the buoys under present circum-
stances almost quite useless. Some instruc-
tions have been published by the French M oniteur
de la Flotte, but it seems unaccountable that nothing
has been promulgated either by the British Ad-
miralty or by the Egyptian Government. The
survey conducted by her Majesty's ship Tartarus
will probably lead to thelpublication by the British
Government of the requisite details.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company are about
to introduce a steam-tug into the harbour for
towing lighters to and from their ships and the
Customhouse-wharf, and it may be hoped that their
example will promote the introduction of improve-
ments of a similar nature for the general benefit.
As mentioned in my last, the Sultan has granted
an " irade" authorising the formation of the Red
Sea Steam Navigation Company, by which regular
intercourse is about to be established between Suez,
Jeddah, and the other chief ports of the Red Sea.
The capital of the company will be 800,0001.,
divided into 40,000 shares of 201. each, and the
privilege is granted for a term of 30 years. The
necessary measures for carrying out the undertak-
ing are in progress, and an office has been opened
at Constantinople for receiving the subscriptions of
those desirous of becoming shareholders.
Mr. Robert Stephenson, the celebrated engineer,
has arrived here from Toulon in his yacht the
Titania. Mr. Stephenson is travelling for the bene-
fit of his health, but his visit to Egypt is also
understood to be in connexion with the railway
bridge about to be constructed across the Nile at
Kafr Laiss.