The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-11-13 00:00:00

EGYPT.

Our private letters from Alexandria come down to the 29th
ult. On the 25th Captain Fisher, of the Asia, announced to
the consul-general of Holland, that he had received instruc-
tions from Admiral Stopford to postpone the blockade of the
harbour of Alexandria until the 20th of November, for the
purpose of permitting vessels in ballast to enter, and allow-
ing the merchants of neutral nations to export their goods
and merchandise.
The Great Liverpool arrived at Alexandria on the 19th,
with passengers, but without mails either for Egypt or India,
both of which had been detained by the postmaster at Malta.
The passengers for Bombay set out on the 24th, and every
facility was afforded them for their journey to Suez.

(Private Correspondence.)
ALEXANDRIA, OCT. 29.—The new and splendid steamer
Great Liverpool arrived here on the morning of the 19th, with
17 passengers for Indic, but without.her mails, that for Alex-
andria as well as that for India having been taken out and
detained at Malta by Rear-Admiral Sir John Louis, who
kept her two days to think over it !
What are we to think of this second stoppage of our letters ?
The detention of the mail for India may possibly be justified
by political considerations, and the stringent orders of the
Board of Controul, who claim a right to keep their eastern
hemisphere in literary if not literal darkness ; but what sha-
dow of pretence can he or they have for preventing the com-
mercial communications, addressed to private individuals in
this city, coming to hand ? There is no British consul here
now, to compromise the bag by the inclusion of dangerous
despatches. The British passengers (who are at least of as
much value as so many letters) were allowed to come on
freely, and safely made their way down the Red Sea last Sa-
turday, the 24th inst., in the Berenice.
I am happy to be able to say, that the Great Liverpool did
not find the slightest obstacle thrown in the way of her safe
anchorage off this port, and free communication with the
shore.

Of the blockading squadron only the Dido was visible, and
the captain of that Corvette having formally discharged his
duty by conveying the usual warning, the probable danger of
entering the harbour in the present unsettled state of affairs
left Captain Engledue to act in continuation to the best of
his judgment. The Great Liverpool accordingly anchored at
a safe distance off the port, and the agents put off to com-
municate with the captain and passengers. They were very
agreeably surprised to find that no impediment whatever ex-
isted to their further progress to Suez, and accordingly in
the course of the day came ashore, and next morning pur-
sued their journey uninterruptedly to Suez. 17 by the Great
Liverpool, and 13 by previous vessels, fairly embarked on the
24th inst. in the Berenice (Captain Lowe), which brought the
Bombay mail to Suez. (This mail arrived here last night,
and, without any telegraphic warning, but preceded by one
of the passengers, who came in at two o'clock in the after-
noon.) To resume, on the 20th Captain Engledue, having
assured himself by conversation with the residents who visited
the vessel that there was no personal danger to be appre-
hended on land, came on shore with some friends, and was
introduced to the Pasha, who put an end to all his doubts for
the safety of his gallant steamer by giving him a written assur-
ance that she might enter the harbour and remain in safety
there as long as he pleased. Capt. Engledue did accordingly
enter the eastern harbour next day, and lay in safety and com-
fort under the very guns of the smaller Pharos castle, doubtless
to the astonishment of the squadron, who have since appeared
without, and sent in the notification of the further postpone-
ment of the blockade. But I think that by this time they
are inclined to concede to Mehemet Ali the characteristic of
forbearance at least. On the 18th and 19th they were " far,
far at sea," and vessels entering in ballast could find no
blockading squadron off the port to warn them as usual, as if
they were tired of frightening the poor mariners. Nay, at
length they grew jocose about the matter, and on the morn-•
ing of the 20th, when a Greek brig made bold to ask the
Dido if she might enter the harbour, received a reply, "Go
and ask the Great Liverpool." The Greek accordingly came
up very seriously alongside the formidable steamer, and pre-
ferred his request, by permission of the corvette. "0 ! with
all my heart !" replied the captain of the steamer; so the
Greek took courage, and went in without further question.
As the Great Liverpool sails at sun-set I must conclude.
Her passengers (12 from India and about 30 from Alexandria)
are chiefly British, having a natural wish to breathe an atmo-
sphere free from blockades and bombardments, or a residence
in some British port where British steamers can bring them
their British letters. Amongst them is Lady Isabella Sirow-
ski Pitcairn, who did not venture to India after all, but turned
back at the first station in the desert. Some of the passengers
at Suez would have taken open boats while making for the
Berenice, and have sailed to Jidda or Aden, a three months'
voyage, against the monsoon, if any could be procured. But
all had been pressed into the service of the pasha, who had
sent them on to Jiddo and Jembo, on the Arabian side, to
bring across the remnant of his veterans to Cesseir on the
African, and alas! two turned back to Cairo on the 23d inst.,
and so ost their passage. The pasha is certainly intent on
strengthening his hands in Egypt, and I am further assured,
looks to the upper country, and even as far as Sennaar, for a
refuge in case of need, and if he should be obliged to abandon
Alexandria.

(From the Supplement to the Malta Times.)
LATEST INTELLIGENCE FROM THE EAST.

MALTA, NOVEILIIIIR 2.—The Great Liverpool steamer
arrived in port early this morning, having left Alexandria on
the 28th ult. She brings an India mail, despatched from
Bombay on the Ist ult., by the Berenice, which arrived at
Suez on the 24th. Mehemet Ali afforded every assistance
for the conveyance of the mail to Alexandria, having given
the East India Company's agent at that place one of his per-
sonal attendants to send for it. The following official com-
munication has been received by the Chief Secretary to Go-
vernment from Mr. Larking, British Consul at Alexandria.
" British Consulate, Alexandria, Oct. 28.
" Six,-I have the honour to acquaint you that Mehemet
Ali has afforded every facility for the transmission of the
India mail from Suez to Alexandria, and renews his assu-
rance of protection and assistance for all future mails and
passengers through Egypt.—l have, &c.,
" J. W. LARKING."
"To Sir Hector Greig, Chief Secretary to Government."

MALTA.
Our correspondent writes from Alexandria—" It is to be
regretted that the mails for India were not sent forward from
Malta ; the Pasha being ready to afford every assistance in
his power ; and he gave the East India Company's agent
here one of his personal attendants to send to Suez for the
mail next received from India."

ORNITHOLOGY.—On Saturday last, averythrare. and newly
discovered British bird, the black red start
shot at Scotehquarry Hill, near Cheltenham,c"try was
Skelton, ornithologist, and examined by Wright,Mr r*N.
visi or
sur-
geon. This bird was first made known as an occasional •
to this country by Mr. Gould, who recorded the occurrence.tand capture of a specimen near London, in October, 1i329
A few specimens have since been obtained in this country
during winter.
SAVAGE ASSAULT ON ONE OV TEE CONSTABULARY
FORCE.—About half-past twelve o'clock on Saturday night
last, as George Curdy, one of the county constabulary force
belonging to the Ashton-under-Lyne division, was on duty
on the Ashton and Oldham road, near a place called Water-
loo, he observed four fellows in the garb of colliers, maltreat-
ing a woman who was on her way to Ashton. CurdyC remon-
strated with them, upon which they used some very abusive
language to him, and one of them struck him; he attempted
to draw his staff' for the purpose of defending himself, and
capturing his assailant, when one of the party kicked him
twice and knocked him down, again kicking him in the ab-
domen. One of the men, whose name is supposed to be
William Jones, went up to Curdy, and, taking his staff from
him, struck him several tremendous blows on one of his
arms, by which, we are informed, Curd Y's arm was broken.
the ruffians then made off. Search has been made for Jones,
who has decamped ; but it is not expected that either he or
his associates will long elude the vigilance of the police.—
Manchelter Guardian.