foreign affairs of the Egyptian government also paid me his annual visit in honor of the occasion, during which he expressed his wishes for the permanence of our Union, and his opinion of the hopelessness of the cause of its domestic enemies. He appeared quite astonished at the magnitude and efficiency of our military operations.

At a dinner, given by the vice-consul in honor of the day, which was attended by the consul general of the kingdom of Italy and other distinguished residents of the city, the occasion was enthusiastically commemorated.

Cotton exported from Egypt during the last five years, 1856-57-'58-59-'60.

This year's crop is not yet known, it being still growing, and will be gathered about the months of September to December, although it is estimated to be equal to that of the preceding years. ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT, July 15, 1861.

Mr. Seward to Mr. Thayer.

No. 3.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, August 13, 1861.

SIR: I have received and have read with much interest your despatch of the 29th of June, (No. 3,) announcing your arrival in Egypt, and giving an account of your reception by the viceroy. Your remarks on that occasion, as well as your conduct throughout the imposing ceremonial, are approved, and the friendly feeling towards the United States manifested by his highness in your interview with him, and subsequently by his minister of foreign affairs, and by the consuls general representing other nations in Egypt, is very gratifying.

I am, sir, your obedient servant,

WILLIAM S. THAYER, Esq.,

WM. H. SEWARD.

Consul General of the United States, Alexandria, Egypt.

The President has promised me to issue instructions to all comandantes de puerto of the republic prohibiting admission of all vessels under that [the confedate] flag into its ports, except in cases of distress. I could not obtain from him their complete denunciation as pirates.

*

*

*

I have the honor, &c.,

*

*

*

Hon. WM. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

E. A. TURPIN.

SIR: I have the honor to enclose herewith, marked A, a copy of a note by me addressed to his excellency the secretary of foreign relations of Chili, dated July 31, 1861.

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

I have the honor to remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. WILLIAM H. SEWARD,

JOHN BIGLER.

Secretary of State of the United States.

A.

LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,

Santiago de Chili, July 31, 1861.

SIR: The undersigned, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of the United States of America, has the honor to inform your excellency that, in consequence of the President of the so-called "Confederated States of America" having issued a proclamation announcing that he has been empowered and is prepared to issue letters of marque to all who are willing to enter the service of the said States as privateers, he, the undersigned, has been instructed by his government to be vigilant to the extent of his power to prevent vessels from being fitted out in the ports of Chili under the authority of the said "Confederated States." The government of the undersigned, denying the right of the States composing the so-called "Confederated States of America" to secede, as they have done, from the American Union, and maintaining that the people of the States which have so seceded still owe fealty to the Constitution and laws of the United States, has determined to enforce obedience thereto on the part of the whole people thereof, and has solemnly proclaimed and declared that any person who shall, "under the pretended authority of the Confederated States, or under any other pretence, molest a vessel of the United States, or the persons or cargo on board of her, such person will be held amenable to the laws of the United States for the prevention and punishment of piracy."

Information has recently been communicated to the undersigned of such a character and from such sources as to induce the belief on his part that there are now, or have very recently been, in Chili parties endeavoring to effect a purchase of munitions of war to be used in fitting out privateers for the service of the so-called "Confederated States of America."

Although the undersigned cannot vouch for the correctness of this informa