The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-09-12 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD

NON-ARRIVAL OF THE INDIAN MAIL

Considerable anxiety begins to be felt amongst the
mercantile community, and others interested, in conse-
quence of the non-arrival of what is called the '• over-
land" mail from India, via Egypt, which has been due for
about a week ; and as great regularity has hitherto cha-
racterised the conveyances employed, the long delay on
this occasion, which is ascertained to have arisen on the
voyage between Bombay and Suez, has given rise to some
apprehensions for the safety of the vessel then on the sta-
tion. We are glad, therefore, to have it in our power to
allay, to a considerable extent at least, those apprehen-
sions, from some information relative to the nature of the
navigation of the Arabian Sea, which we gathered on Fri-
day last at this port, from the conversation of some gen-
tlemen conversant with the subject, and among whom
were several of the Directors of the Hon. East India
Company, including their respected and talented chair-
man.

It appears that the monsoons, or periodical south-west
winds, blow with great violence over the Indian Ocean
during six successive months of the year, (beginning in
April,) frequently causing a sea as heavy as that in the
Atlantic during a " north-wester." During their con-
tinuance it has been customary for steamers coming
from Bombay to Suez, in order to gain easier head
against these winds, to make a long tack to the south-
ward, where the monsoons are light, (in place of
stretching right across the Arabian Sea) ; then to cross
westwardly, towards the African coast ; and, finally, to
proceed northward to Aden. at the bottom of the Red
Sea. This course, though circuitous, was considered the
surest for steamers that were until recently on the station,
and which were not of very large burthen or power. Two
or three attempts were made some time ago by steamers
to cross direct to Aden in the face of the monsoon ; but
they faired—one of them (the Simiramis, if we mistake
not) from her fuel becoming exhausted ; and another from
some casualty to her machinery,—in either of which cases
there was no alternative but to up helm and run back
before the wind. Now, it is known that a new and more
powerful steam-ship than those hitherto employed lately
arrived at Bombay—the steam-frigate Memnon, of the
same size and power as our Halifax and Boston mail
ships—namely, 1,200 tons burthen, with 400 horse-power
engines. Accounts have been received that this was the
vessel appointed to bring the mails, now due, from Bom-
bay; and that the commander had expressed his confi-
dence in her capability to make the passage to Aden
by a direct course against the head winds, and his
determination to attempt it. That he did so, appears,
therefore, to be highly probable ; and that he failed
from one or other of the causes that balked his prede-
cessors in the same adventure, is equally so. But a
breakage in the engine•room, or a want of fuel would by
no means involve the safety of those on board ; and we
strongly conjecture, that after getting well over to the
African shore, he found from one or other of the causes
named, or a combination of both, that he had no resourse
but to return. Even if he had reached within 20 miles of
Aden, or any other point in Africa, that necessity would
have been the same, as he could find no steam-tug to assist
him to port in the lonely expanse of the Indian Ocean.
There would be nothing for it but to set sail and return to
the Hindostan side. And, as the distance is great, and
he would himself carry the news of his misfortune, the
probability is that we shall have no mail until the next be
due. We find the view we have taken of the matter is
adopted to a considerable extent by a Itlanchester con-
temporary, who states that he also derived his informa-
tion from individuals eonnected with India.

In consequence of the non -arrival of the Memnon at
Suez, or even at Aden, the Lady Mary Wood left Alex-
andria on the 29th ult. for England, with no letters and
only one passenger.