The New York herald., 1868-03-13
A S l A
French Progress at Suez and a
Coming War Crisis i'm India.
Hostility of the Natives to the English and
Policy Of Egypt in Abyssinia.
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE OF THE HERALD.

SueZ-The Grand Cnnas-IRteresting Scene
In the vicinity-The Tomb Of Adam nm
Eve-Mounts Sinai and Horcb-Adcn-Fcar
oi an Approaching War with Afghanistu
and Persin-Anotlicr Indian Rebellion L,
pected-Movements OF Troops-The Aby,
sinian ExpcdiiiOn-Egyptian Policy.
ADEN, Arabia, Jan. 3d. 1868.
From Suez, Egypt, to this English station ia n 81
days journey by steamer down the Red Sea. Sue
~ quite an important city just now and must ut
nlateiy become great one if the hopeful expecta
lions of Monsieur Lesseps the French contractor fo
the construction OF the Suez Canal, realized. III
present population is about eight thousand, COM
posed of Arabs, Turks, Nubians Egyptians, Jews,
Armenians and Franks or Europeans. 1t is built on
low sandy tract OF land, bounded bn the east and
north by the arid, sandy deserts of Egypt and Ara
bia the west by high bluffs and on the south by
the Red Sea. Just across narrow bay to the east
ward is the grand canal, in course OF construction
which is intended to unite the Mediterranean ana
Red Seas No part OF 1t has as yet been completed.
The route has been opened throughout its whole
length which is 124 miles, extending across the
isthmus from Port Lind on the Mediterranean, to
The town OF Suez, on the Red sea.
II is quite interesting sight to see what has been
DONE Large bodies Of men are stationed at inter-
Nas OF twenty miles, under the superintendent OF
French engineers who with wheelbarrows huge iron
scoops, &c, dig deep into the sand in some places
10 the depth OF one hundred feet. For many miles
the course OF the canal runs through sandy desert
where the heat is so excessive that it is dlcult to
believe that animal life could exist. The rays OF the
soorchng sun. with the dazzling glare of the sand
render life almost unbearabe; yet, strange to say,
the hali-naSed workmen are apparently contentcd
with their lot; for the Arab song and chant, though
partakng somewhat of mournful cast, NAV be
heard long before you reach their camp AS
YOU journey along enormous mounds OF sand NAV
pe seen on the banks which have been taken
from me excavations As soon as the work
men sight Frank approaching they beset him on
al sides, literally yelling forth with demoniacal Ces-
tire the aord backshish," or aims. 1t is useless to
deny cm and it is the height OF folly to give even
para away the only course left open is to apply to
what we wonld call in America 'scction boss,n who
with dcxterous blows from his whip soon clears the
road. Viewing these masses of miserable human
beings one would imagine that all Egypt had
been drained Of fellahs to supply the work
men Tor the canal Such is not the case
however for every city and hamlet in Egypt as
lar SOUTH as the most southernmost point OF Nuba
mas ITS group OF feahs luSuratlng In filth and laz
ness. About 1000 are employed on this work. and
the appearance OF their camps is extremely strange
Tor mixed indiscriminately with scantiy clad and
enacia'ci men lying on the ground like dead men
are dogs, cameis, goats. donkeys and mules, while
hltlly accumulations, emitting offensive odors lie
piled IN AL directions.
FORCED labor was for long time employed by the
Egyptian government, but this method OF obtaining
men has been given up. the Pacha undertaking to
pay 900 compensation TO Monsieur Lesseps.
The French company. OF which NJ. Lesseps is agent,
for the purpose OF borrowing funds have circulated
= 100000 francs in brass coin OF the nominal value OF
francs and hail francs, redeemable at sight These
pass current throughout all Eastern Egypt.
The canal. when completed, IL TO be twenty-One
feet deep ninesiN feet wide AZ the bottom and one
hundred and eighty feet nj the water line. small
feeder lIas been completed which parallel with
the grand canal. extending from Port said TO
lsmaila, on Lake Tunsah, which il fifty feet
From isuaila TO Suez is another canal
led b, the Nile OF the same width and
80 IN thai here j. really canal completed through
which small vessels pass and repass constantly. Last
week three Greek schooners, each OF twenty tons
burden. passed through laden with coal from Alex
andra 10 sucz. But II will take many years yet be-
lore the grand canal is finished. and II IL were not
under tue auspices Of the French government the
pojec must have fallen to The ground long ago for
want ~ money.
The vicinity OF suez il rich in historical and Bible
scenes. Nui hundred miles from here are Mounts
;-inai anu Horeh, and on the western slope of the
latter mount may be the identical rock which
Moses struck out Of which waters pushed TO supply
TIE chosen ~ God In their pilgrimage TO the Land Of
Promise days journey from these memorable
mounts Is Luddah in Arabia, where the crudite Arab
elders VIII show for few rupees the tomb OF Adam
and Eve. Aye, even the womb OF Eve, the mother OF
all the world. may DE seen transformed by some
mysterious agency into q dome. The tomb il about
rfiy fcet long and when questioned as TO its ex-
traordnary length they replied .Allah ha hear this
dog oi an tiihccver speak. They must have been
~ tall 20 =, the parents OF The worId.r Besides the
above The wei of Moses and the point where the
israeliies crossed the Red Sea foot win be shown
10y these 'tTue believers FOR dollar or so.
Beforeapproachng Adcn were compelled 10 steer
cur way cautiously through The narrow ana danger
ous straits OF Babe-Maudcb tor the Gate Of Tears.
called from the numbers Of vessels lost In passing
through ~ IN the earlier days of nlygationl IN the
centre ct which stands the Island OF Perrin.
At thus island we the fruits OF fafseeing English
policy. Perrin properly belongs 10 Turkey. bu Is in
the possession OF the English who have built forsi-
ra'ons arsenals warehouses &c, greatly TO the an-
noyance of the French, who nave several simes sent
10 the Sultan deprccang 81 occupa
ion by foreign Power. The reason Of their dis
satisfaction is obvious. When the French undertook
u construct the SueZ canal they sau sned that
fley would obtain exclusive command over the
entrance "a the Red sea; but the English Instant,
seized on The island OF Pcrim ut the southern cIs-
trance ana thus controlled al cgrcss ON IL. AZ
from the coast of Arabia to Perrin II but fhr miles
and from the island 10 the African shore l. lf nao
miles, 40 therefore, nothing could escarie 'r0n this
sea save under English sanction. J., rim has an
excellent harbor. well sheltered, and nrtf ships Of
she line could anchor with perfect safety within
hundred yards OF the shore
From Perim II is but six hours sail ~ smother Eng
Isif stronghold. apty termed the GV,i altar "a the
East, Fancy city built within the large crater ~
dead volt ano, the sides OF which rsR almost per-
pcndicular from the sea, coDinafdb ~ o fine hay
which COud AFFORD shelter 10 uNe nnndrsd large
sbips Such Is Aden This city IL sitlt ed wild,
barren and rocky peninsular, where traces OF vol
asnlc eruptions In bygone aacs are tbbe every
where A seycn-arched causcxay connccts this
Wild SPOT with the mainland, Which rises into a
series of barren conical hills OF bush coorcd quartz
rocks one would imagine that its extreme barren
ness would depreciate It; bur y Is not 90 Alden has
fully iusid itself as valuable possession To ths
English during the present expedition TO Ahyssnia.
By some strange policy pecuss 70 the English II
,heir Oriental dealings they have cuuired posses
sion OF all the country extending tweMty miles nort
of Aden. ON glancing at the history Of English al
sninistration In Hind0stan ] can readily pcrceiv
aheir present intentions concerning Abyssnia. No
long ago the sultan Of Labege fdty situated mort
OF Alden was slain by the EaglisfI upon the preteS
vhat that prince had prevented supplies rom bein
sent 10 the garrison. In Ike manner important sta
tions cities and islands have b.cn occupied with ur
usual rapidity by the English during the lase fc,
years, which swarm with The vile British conn1ie.
Alden IL inundated with mob OF speculatcrs an
cunning unprincipled rogues, emigrants from Cock
peydom, who have trapserIrd this former quiet Ara
trading port into pest
The preparations for the Ahyssnian expedition ar
on grand scale, and give the city and harbor ver
unrnsted appearancp. The hDYbOr is flied with We.