New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-12
TALKS WITH ARMY AND NAVY OFFICERS

TALKS WITH ARMY AND NAVY OFFICERS
At the Navy Yard yesterday the officers discussed
the Egyptian situation in shaded rooms where
scarcely breath of air moved. White uniforms
gave them cool appearance, which was in direct
contradiction with their frequent ordinations of
disgust at the action of the mercury In rising to
such "A height.
Oh, il is only an opportunity for target practice
for the English fleet" said in speaking Of the
bombarlment of Alexandria. "What could Arab
Bey's earihworks do against such fire rs that
fleet OF British sea monsters II pouring into them
There is the InfieXibie four eghty-ton guns send
ing IN their iron hail. There are two guns in each
of her two turros. and pretty steady fire Is prob
ably being kept up from her"
Do yoH suppose that they are firing solid shoti
Probably first solid prof ctile and then shell.
There are no earthwOrks or 70. affiliations of any
other kind in The world thar could stand for any
length o. time AGAINST the fire OF eIghtY-tOD guns.
First comes solid shot into an embankment and
makes sol I. Then comes shell IN nearly the
same place. and, cxplod ng, wldens the breach
hat cannot ,inue long without the works be-
ginning tO crumble.n
- Then You think fortifca'ions cannot be built
strong enough toresIst eighty or one hundred-ton
guns"
believe that as lorg giant pieces of ordnance are
made ships viii be built n lie % resist Them"
DO Won think thai this action will prove any
thing III regard TO the merits OF the Immence pieces
NO; il is simply as slid before, a good oppor-
tnnliy Tor target pactce nothing more. ! cont
imagine that the Eg, ptian Notifications
were very strong, and there VIII not
he enough left OF them by to-
morrow morning to make far mark for the
British guns. The return lire from the forts must
he perfectly harmless. The Infexibles armor
II twenty -four inches at ITS thckest point
and eighteen at It's thlnnest. he other
guns that Arab can bring 70 bear on them, and the
unarmored one viii probably keep ont of range OF
come no now and hen at full head OF steam and
"A In
easy thing Int vessel going at full speed a one
who has never tired IT might Imagine. IL will SIM
piy be an afternoons entertainment Tor Admiral
seymour TO knock down the detences OF Alex
andra."
A Governor. Island the bombardmcnt was the
chief tOplc of cow rsatIOn. SURPRISED" said
one of the ordnance Ulcers of the post, at
the foOihardiness of Arab Bey in inviting a
struggle with the British fleet Why, 1t Is the
most absurd thing thar ever heard of. Spirit aud
courage all very well. bu when II comes to put
ting your head in the hons mouth TO show how
brave YOU are, II Is quite another thing. From the
accounts we have 80 far received of the state of az
fairs, it is evident that nothing Is TT for the Egyp
tan out immediate surrender There Is no chance
Tor retreat, Tor BRUSH Guns command the road TO
Caro- 1t lad judgment TO invite the mbard-
menf, aud il worse than that TO conduct it as
the EgN puans did. Why, they aid not know the
rau ge of their own guas and failed 10 keep them
trained on the British fleet. The Egyptians are poor
gunners."
as regards heavy Orunancef
Ion as much a. a day of good target practice
woodworking more. Lighter guns would have
done the business, only perhaps not so
soon. Why. in the War of the Rebellion
lime after time, earth and masonry forts
both have been 81 enced 10y wooden vessels mounting
sBooi h. bore guns There was Fort Clark wafer
battery mounting Aye guns, and near il Fort Hat
teras mounting twenty feet n wooden vessels
with smOOih-bore guns came up one day, d IN
three hours FOrt Clark was untenable, and hve
nonrs ire dIsnantled Fort Haueras The bonn
harding fleet un, sllghCly injured and four or
five men Ia the ships were wOunded. Then there
were the caythworNs OF HIllOn Head, mounting
rifled a. well -nooti-bOre guns. Five hours was
enough {, silence them. Why, our two wooden
supS At Alexandra would have made Ii lively with
tneIr covered rifles for the Egg puan iOris The
idea OF Arab drawing the ire O1 the English fleet
IL Is absurd.