Morning journal and courier., 1882-08-18
A1exandria's Bombardment
As Seen From a United States Vessel i,


 ! As Seen From a United States Vessel i'm the Harbor.
 [Letter in Philadelphia Times from on Board United States Steamer Galena at Alexandria, Looking through our glasses one day we discerned men pulling huge cannon upon the ramparts of the nearest fort. Apparent ly English neighbors saw it, too. for soon they gave out that the Arabs were set ting out IF more guns. They further issued notice for everybody to move" as they were going to fire upon the forts the next morning.
 Ever, thing was confusion immediately The harbor up to this time had been still full of merchant shipping. They thought all this talk was going to end in talk. But now they began to make heaolong rush for the \ ofhng. The fleets of war got up steam, in obedience to the signals Of their respective nag ships, and soon American, French Ger ] man, Austrian, Russian, Greek-in fact the \ representatives of every nation in Europe ! in one indiscrininate crowd, were rushing l outside the moles. Our American squadron. under the lead of the flag ship Lancaster, was anchored in & favorable position for sight I seeing. Each war-ship did all in it's power to assist the merchantmen out That night we lay five miles out: Around us were gath ! cred the best ships of the navies in the world, ! waiting to learn practical lesson in gunnery ! In the morning Whenever the question was ! asked when the firing was going to begin the \ 1nvarlable answer was, "At m. sharp" ! Some English officers came to give us a call before the mornings work began. One jok- ingly remarked :-
 Very sorry we can't give you programmes I for the concert to morrow. But the doors are open and music begins at &. m" 1 Our friends didn't have much leisure for visiting. All the afternoon they were busy 'clear1Lg z ship for action," as the sea phrase puts 1t. On each of their vessels topgallant masts and yards were sent down. so any stray
 shot crashing among the upper spars could not tumble their fragments down upon the gunners below then the bowsprit and head booms were "rigged in," so that the steel | rams that poked out in an ugly fashion below at the bows might have a clean sweep and an | unbroken blow. At dusk the numerous | French fleet all left for parts unknown. The next day, some time after half past 6 | a. m., your correspondent was wrapped in | one of those slumbers so very tempting on A July morning. Light breezes slipped through l the half turned slats of his window. blinds
 and gradually bringing him to realizing ] sense that another day had long since brok- \ en. So very tranquil was it he quite forgot
 the notice about the "opera" that begun at 7
 a. m., when suddenly itwas boom boom
 then more quickly boom boom! boom | boom It was the most effective reveille l ever beaten. Toilets were made in disgrace
 ful haste and everybody tumbled up to the | upper deck. The clock marked just 10 min
 utes past z. The English had kept their | word
 | Alexandria is built on tongue of land
 shaped like an l.. On either side of this
 runs the coast line, slightly concave and with
 forts dottlng 1t at intervals. The most for
 mldabie of the latter are two, one near the
 'Phsros," the other in the center of the l oity, "Fort Napoleon" We saw the fleet