ATTACK ON ADEN. [From the Calcutta Star, August 30.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume III, Issue 169, 13 March 1847, Page 4

ATTACK ON ADEN. [From the Calcutta Star, August 30.]

The Ariel Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam packet, (a new iron vessel), left Southampton on the 20th July, reached Gibraltar 25th, sailed same day, reached Malta 30th, sailed 31st, arrived at Alexandria on the morning of the 4th August. Passengers and mails arrived at Suez on the 7th, but owing to the Hindostan not arriving until the mor-

ning of the 7tb, she required coaling, &c, she did not leave until the 9th. When at Malta the French squadron under the command of Prince de Joinville arrived. On coming down the Red Sea the Hindostan encountered a very heavy squall of wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, upon the 14th ult., when off the Zabaya Island, and a great many water spouts were visible in all directions, and close to the ship ; on this day, passed the East India Company's steam packet Victoria, from Bombay to Suez, with the mail. Hindostan arrived at Aden on the after no.on of the loth, when we found it besieged on the land side. In consequence of this, the mail was transferred to the English merchant ship Ayrshire, to be conveyed to Bombay,' and she left oti the 16th ; Captain Haines, the Political agent, not wishing to send away the only two men-of-war (East India Company's ships), viz., Sesostris and schooner Mahi, expecting an immediate attack. The following, which took place while lying at Aden, has been handed to us by a gentleman from the Hindostan. On the morning of the 17th August, one of our sentries peTceived some men stealing in towards our lines (ca'led the Turkish Wall). He immediately gave the alarm, and in less than five minutes a heavy cannonading opened out upon the Arabs from their lines and from the heights. Tar barrels lighted, to show us the position of the enemy, and every appearance that a general fight would take place, but on receiving our fire, they got frightened and retreated (it lasted about a quarter of an hour) with their killed and wounded, which we heard aftetwards was very considerable ; they brought down about 400 men with the view of ascertaining how close they could come upon us by night without detection ; three of their wounded came into our camp the following morning for assistance. A man who was in the employ of Captain Haines, the Political Agent, came in afterwards and gave him information that it was their intention (the Arabs) to make a grand attack upon our lines on the night we bailed (17th; with 6000 men. We are so well prepared to receive them, that they will be well beaten and not gain their point, which is to get Aden from us. The boats of the 11. E. I.C. steam packet Sesostris and schooner Mahi are fitted out as fire boats, and actively employed on the I7th protecting one of the Bays. The head of the tribes that are now waging war against Aden is a Mussulman, and marched across from Algiers ; he is a religious fanatic, and got these Arabs to follow him, has dethroned the chief of the Arabs, who had been on friendly terms with the English for some time. Our troops, the 47th Madras Natives, 94th Queen's and Artillery, are exceedingly anxious to have something to do ; they march up to the heights every night, and had done so for five nights previously — sleeping with their clothes and accoutrements on. This mussulman chief always has with him a flag, green ground, white letters, and the following inscription — " Oh Almighty, Oh Almighty, Victory is at hand, The opener of the gate is God." The day the Hindostan left Aden, the men-of-war boats, and a boat of Captain Haines, brought in three boats laden with supplies that were intended to be landed for the enemy. All supplies are ptevented by this Mussulman chief from being sent into our camp. The Hindustan had very fine weather from Aden to Point de Galle, arrived on the 27th, sailed same evening, after transhipping passengers, China mail, &c, to the Briganza, reached Madras on Sunday, 30th August; left same evening, reached Sandheads on the 2nd of September, and Garden Reach on the 3rd September, at 6 p.m. — making the voyage from England to Calcutta in forty-fhe days from Southampton. In consequence of Aden being beseiged when the Hindostan arrived, great difficulty was experienced by her in coaling, all the Arabs that had been employed by the Company's Agent for some time, deserted him, and the ship had to get the ordnance coolies to coal the ship.