Morning journal and courier., 1884-06-04


 To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER:
 Another journey of two weeks at sea- the last considerable voyage in the Around the World journey barring that across the At lantic, is behind me. The journey was broken by short call at Alden, the greas halfway cooling point between the Mediter- ransan and Far East. We sometimes hear it stated shat England is losing it's naval and military prestige; that her possessions in the Orient and elsewhere are neglected in these latter days. What saw at Alden would con- flute this assertion so far as that colony is concerned. Alden is sometimes referred to as the Gibraltar of the East, and it is evident that the British government means to con- vert the metaphor into literal fact, as certain operations which I shall presently describe go to prove.
 I do not need at this day to say that Alden is about as dreary place as the sun ever shone upon from brazen sky. It yields neither fruit, vegetables, nor flowers, and there is scarcely green thing anywhere. There are no streams, and water cannot be had by digging wells. Condensed water is bought by each family to meet it's daily wants, while beef. alternating with mutton, is the regular diet. Near the ''harbor land- ing," opposite which our ship anchored, there are two hotels, the pretentious names of which contrast pitiably with the fearful desolation on all hands, Nothing short of the ''Hotel de L'Europe" and the Hotel de L'Univers'' will satisfy Alden. The real town of Alden Is nearly five miles distant among the naked volcanic peaks. It is peopled by dozen rather shabby nationalities, notably A oI,,o lf,,F of Parsees and English people who pose be- fore the world in the role of martyrs but age really sealpers. When 1t is stated that $20 ton for coal is common price there, and that over g hundred big ships call there for coal each month, it will be suspected that some of the Alden martyrs" make money about as fast it can be coined in a mint During the Abyssinian war, when Alden was made base of supplies by the British, ceai ran up to $40 a ton. The transport ships and men-of war had to have coal, and the test was greater than Alden patriotism could endure You have read how little cloud no bigger than a mans hand now threatens the prosperity of Alden, in the shape of the tiny island of Perine at the mouth of the Red Sea. At Perine has been established 8 rival coaling port. The harbor is good, and as there are no port charges, the prospects favor the belief that in time the new station will become very popular
 The famous Alden tanks for catching rain water found to be abandoned entirely as a source of water-supply, in favor of the con densed sea-brine. When the rains do come down after drought of several years, they come with vengeance. As a result these mammoth tanks are filled with many tons of mud, and the process of cleansing this liquid has proved too laborious. But the govern ment manages to turn these washings from the hills to some account for fertifizing pur- poses It is found that they are rich in manurial properties, and the so-called agri- culturists pay we'll for a few loads each. Last year, am told, $4, GOO was earned in this way. Even here the English have tlied to bring their beautiful gardens, but alas, with sorry results, owing to the remorseless heat of the sun. Leading up to the tanks there is an enclosure containing few stakes, npon which are printed earnest requests that the visitor will not pick any of the flowers. This constitutes the garden. It is grim sarcasm upon the name.
 But the value of Alden to England is chiefly that of 8 military outpost and naval station. At present the fort is not very heavily armed, it's biggest guns being nine-inch muZzle load CTS of twelve tons, mounted on the open bar bette system, pretty to look at. but not very efficient in these days of ironclads. If any body thinks the British are altogether care less as to their national defences, he ought to be convinced to the contrary by the state ment that despite her numerous present em- barassments England is engaged in re-forti- flying Alden at an expense of about half
 million dollars in American money. New guns Of twenty-six tons are to be placed ip armored cupolas, and every point in the bar bor where landing could possibly be eff5ct- ed ia to be covered with light guns. Little Alden" rocky promontory facing Alden and commanding the harbor, has been acquired and this, with the improvements now on foot, will make post quite as impregnable as Gibraltar.
 Six days more were consumed in steaming up the Red Sea, with the thermometer bob ping about ia the nineties much of the time. and oncs or twice running considerably above 100 in the shade. Our anchor was dropped In the herbor of Suez at about mi might, and early the following morning I went ashore in q steam launch. The landing was effected at pier mile or two long, from which the journey to the rail way station had to be made by donkey. Seeing Q crowd of young Arabs lounging about in the vicinity, while their donksys browsed on the rocks be- side them, I whistled my first whistle on the African continent: In an instant the whole cro-d was descending upon me like some wolves upon a fold, the while each man howIed at me enticingly, and belabored his boast. selected the two donkeys that passed under the gate first, had my baggage loaded upon one and prepared to mount the other. When the boys left their donkeys standing in order that they might bring my baggage from the wharf, for these animals are allowed to wander arou nd pretty much at will, the donksys unceremoniously strolled off at least quarter of 6 mile. As 1t was only seven o'clock and had nothing to do till train time at 9:15 B nl., I could laugh, and enjoy this very common, but to me novel experience
 Nov don't pay out a sixpencs two peasters)," said friend in parting. ''of course they will ask more, but that Is the faa 3o 1ia aI1
 Don't need 8 whip?" inquired. ssNo." laughed my informant. ''You'n speedily learn what is the proper motive power" And I did The young Arabs carried slaves, and raa behind, yelling all the time and beat ing the donkeys unmereifuliy. The launches of one of thembled profusely. As for the donkeys they were scarcely high enough to be straddled, and as lazy as they were gentle The principal effort at regulation was in the way of keeping the two beasts from leaning up against each other as they naiyely and un- complainlngly trotted on. Part of the tine l was conscious that was almost astride the ears ot the poor animal I rode and then again was SO near the tail that half feared some of the blows might quicken nay blood instead of the donkey's The railway tracks | ran along the center of the eauseway, which l was built upon 8 ahoal, while on either side | the water Tapped the pebbly margin Near by was stone retaining wall, with which 1 late typhoon had played sad havoc A good many large steamers were moored in the bay l just outside of the lighters and buoys mark. | ing the entrance into the Suez canal. Three wretehed Egyptian men-of-war were an- chored near the docks They s.hew' the Turkish emblem, g star within crescent. and the men in the customs service, who had l rowed out to our ship at daylight, also wore the same design upon the lapeIs of their | coarse. unsttractive uniforms
 Arrived at the depot fumbled in my pock- | ct for coin, and being in specially ,benig- nant mood, handed each youth three piastres. 1 immediately such 8 howl went ID ss must l have stirred the sleepy old town of Saez to | it's depths. Perhaps it really is a mistake D thought; and so seemingly genuine was the l indignation that stepped up and asked the depot-naaster what the proper fare was. Two piastres, he replied Then saw thst | l had made mistake-when gave anything 1 beyond the bare fee. It is a mistake Gas | rule) to give any man with black skin 1 bonus Taking the coins back, cooIly pook- eted one piastre from each lot and handed | back the bare feel Of course this created 1 still greater rumpns. The young rascals wouldn't take the money, whereupon cast 1 A upon the ground. They then took the |