The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1882-07-29
THE ALEXANDRIA MASSACRE.
AS Seen by Rev. Joseph T. Smith, an
American Missionary.

during the massacre OF Inc lltn instant.
and afterwards to find refuge on board
the American man. wal. the Galcna, i'll
in Egypt. 1t has occurred to me that it
might be "A matter of interest to your
readers to have the testimony of an eye
witness concerning events which will be
historical and exercise an important in
:iuencc on the whole Eastern question.
and of one who views the whole from an
American stand pnint. | arrived with my
son in Alexandria from tour through
Palestine on the morning of the 10TH
Every thing was quiet, and though there
was uneasinesS there was no alarm. We
worshipped on Sabbath morning i'll the
Mission Church down by the sea. and
saw no unusual agitation on the streets
in going or returning. About =. NJ,
while sitting in my room. heard shout-
ing on the streets. and looking out saw
wild, hali-clad Arabs running about in
every direction. The noise and excite
ment increased. but occasioned no alarm
until saw the crowd rush into public
garden just opposite my window, break
up the tables and chairs which filed it,
arm themselves with the rungs and legs,
and rush toward the great square of Mo-
hammed Ali, which seemed to be the
center Of the disturbance. There was a
police station just opposite my window,
but no et1olt was made to control the
mob. Evidently something unusual had
occurred, and going down stairs found
the inmates of the hotel gathered in the
hall and court pale with fear, while the
and preparing defense. Some sixty Eu-
ropeaus and four hundred Arabs, | was
told. had been murdered, and there was
no effort, either on the part of soldiers
or police, to stop the massacre. The
Arabs We're armed only with clubs, while
the Europeans shot them down from bal
comics and windows. Nearly all the
consuls were attacked and Wounded
The American Consul escaped and fed
to the Galena. Admiral Seymour tele-
grapled to Arab Bey, who is the gov
eminent that unless the massacre was
stopped at once he would open fire on the
city, and instant orders came from Cairo
to stop it. The night was comparatively
quiet. About midnight Il large force
from Cairo with artillery paraded through
the streets to the wild music of their
bugie.
In the morning doors and windows
were all closed. The alarm among Eu-
ropeans was scarcely abated, and We de
termined to take refuge, il we could
reach it, on board the Galena. Securing
an Arab guide. with whom we had found
favor, we started in a carriage for the
harbor. The streets We're crowded
Twice We were stopped and turned back
by the soldiers. At last our guide drove
to a secluded corner, We all got out and
were led through the narrow, crooked.
streets of the worst part IF the Arab
quarter. amidst its excited crowds, and
with great difficulty made our way to
the harbor. Nothing but the skill of
our guide, the knowledge Of the Ian
gua.e and habits of the natives, and the
backShecsh he used freely, got us
through. We never could have made
our way alone.
Through the noise and confusion of
the hartior We made our way in charge
Of Arab boatmcn t. the Galena which
was anchored in the onter harbor.-
Never was the sight Of the stars and
stripes, floating at the masthead as we
approached. more welcome. We were
received on board with brotherly kind
ness. and entertained with prinGeiy hos
pitality by Capt. Batcheller and his Off
GERS. \ large number of refugees,
chiefly Italians and Germans were on
board. We were almost tie first Amer
leans. The captain took me into his
cabin-the commander of vessel of
war always lives alone-and kept me
with him all the time We We're on board.
The officers took my son into their ward
room and made him one of their mess.
We remained on board from Monday till
Saturday, locking in vain for some YES
sci to come and take Us OFF, and all the
time the kindness of captain and officers
was unwearied. IL all our vessels of
war ars as nobly differed as the Galeua,
We may we'll be proud Of orr national
representatives. in the navy. Government
makes TO provision for the reception or
entertainment of any except distressed
Seamen on board our national vessels.
Neither Germany nor Italy had any YES
sci here, and the ca plain received large
numGars Of both nationalitieS until the
vessel was 80 crowded - to interfere
with all its regular duties. Then. in
conjunction with the Consul, who was ON
board the captain chartered Il large
brig, anchored it under the guns of his
ship, and filed it with refugees. All
this he did on his own responsibility and
at his own charges, unless the govern
ment by special act should relieve him.
During all the confusion and complaints
of those anxious days | was in confiden-
tial communication with him, and never
knew a man act from nobler impulses or
with a more a.rncst desire to DO right.
Some thoughtless persons complained
and the complaints were made public
that too many foreigners We're received
and too little provision made for Ameri-
cans. BIT honored the man who could
say, u cannot and il in my heart to
drive these women and children away
who Are flying for their lives. At my
own risk and in spite Of uHre lsonable
complaints | must give them refuge
1t was nobly said and nobIy done. And
to leave this public testimony is. | con-
Tess, my chief motive IN writing to you.
Very few Americans were left III Egypt,
and Mr.. Lanring and his family arrived
from Cairo On Friday. when all the
United Presbyterian missionaries in
Egypt-some seventeen in number-met
on the deck of the Galena: the results of
SC many years of labor apparently de-
strcyad in a day. Never, they told me,
were their prospects so prish, ns duilng
the past year. New schools, churches,
=, II ,rorn GO, ttora1 to tha winds apI tbay