ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE VICEROY OF EGYPT.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 539, 1 July 1869, Page 4

ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE VICEROY OF EGYPT.

A telegram from Alexandra to the following effect was received in London : — " A timely discovery was made on April 2 of an attempt to assassinate the Viceroy. An explosive machine, with a powdertrain leading to the door, and attached by a tube to a gas-pipe, was found under the seat of the Vice-regal box in the theatre at Cairo. The Viceroy was apprised of the projected attempt on his life, and stayed away. The perpetrators are unknown, but several persons have been arrested on suspicion. His Highness has received the congratulations of the Foreign Ministers and Egyptian functionaries on his escape." Further particulars, subsequently made public, seem to leave no doubt that there really was an attempt made on the life of the Viceroy, though the details have been hitherto enveloped in such mystery that great doubts have been thrown upon its reality. A commission, composed of the English, French, Italian, and Greek consuls at Cairo, has been nominated to examine into the affair, and their first opinion was that the whole was a fiction, but upon further inquiries they have come to the conclusion that it was actually intended to assassinate not only the Viceroy, but also his principal ministers and other counsellors, who would undoubtedly have accompanied him to the theaire. The following are the most authentic facts of the case that have at present transpired. The theatre had been closed for Hays previously, tlnn giving the actors in the plot every opportunity for the execution of their plans', which were very simple. The house is built of wood, and the Viceroy's box is the nearest to the stage on the left hand side. His Highness's chair is on a slightly raised platform, and in the floor was found the infernal machine, composed of an apothecary's mortar. At the bottom of the mortar was found a layer of gunpowder, above which was a layer of balls, upon that another layer of powder, and on the top of all a layer of bullets and small pieces of glass. Between each layer was placed paper, and a quantity of powder was also strewn about under the raised platform, and so arranged under the main gas-pipe that fire could soon have finished the work of destruction. A wick impregnated with some inflamable matter was then introduced into the mortar, and passing down the wall was hidden sufficiently by the gas-pipe to escape observation, while the other end of the wick was attached to a beam near a gas-jet in the side scene, where it could easily be ignited. The committee of inquiry is still continuing its investigations. Another attempt, which has been kept very secret, was also made on the life of the Viceroy, the 'Prince Heritier, aud his ministers, on April 18. as they were returning from Tomailia, and it was only owing to the intelligence of the driver of the pilot engine that the attempt failed. About six miles from Cairo the pilot engine exploded a fog signal that had been placed on the line about a hundred yards from a turning that completely hid from sight the rest of the line on which the Viceroy's train was proceeding. The engine-driver pulled up, but afterwards reflecting that the day was too clear to need the use of fog signals, ptarted again at full speed, and just in time, as he was only well started when the Royal train turned the corner, aud an accident would have been inevitable.