Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-07-12
The Bombardment at Alexandria.

British naval officer furnishes the fol-
lowing account Of the operations before
Alexandria yesterday: 'The lombard
ment commenced at 7:45 this morning. The
iron-clads Superb, Sultan and Alexandra
engaged and totally destroyed Fort Pharos
and the lighthouse batteries, which are ut the
entrance of the new port, and were Intended
to dominate the approach to the inner har-
Dor, The flagship Invint1ble, the Monarch
and the Penelope took up commanding posi-
tions inside the reefs, and assisted from the
outside by the Temeriire, attacked with
destructive effect the strong position of
Fort Mex, with the lighthouse and shore
batteries. The lnheXble was stationed so
as to command the lighthouse batteries,
Fort Pharos and Fort Mex ut the same time.
and was thus in position to CO. operate both
with the division outside and that insidethe
reefs. The gun vessels Bittern. Condor,
Beacon, Decoy and Cygnct attacked the
Marahout batteries ut the entrance of the
harbor, and, taking close and destructive
range, soon slenced them; after which they
ran in and shelled Fort Mex on the south
ern side of the entrance to the anchorage, or
outer harbor
The lnvincible, under cover of her own
guns and those of the Bttern, then landed
party of blue jackets and marines. who
entered Fort Mex and blew mp the heavy
guns. The bombardment practically ceased
at noon, though some heavy guns are at this
hour still Smelling Fort Napoleon, large
work situated at the southern angle of the
lnnerharbor, and dominating the town. The
fort does not reply. On the whole. the
Egyptians fought their batteries with more
determination than had been expected.
Several Of the earthworks behind which
guns were mounted were found to be mere
heaps Of sand"
One shot went clear through the In1ex-
ible.
part of the Ras-elTin palace is in ruins.
Fort Napoleon, that still holds out. is at
the back of the city, and its bombarlment
may involve the destruction of portion of
the town. The manner in which Fort Mex
was blown up by party Of marines can
hardly be repeated, for Fort Napoleon is too
lar inland. The effective work was not done
as much by the eightyton guns as by those
of lighter calbre. The Bittern, the Condor
and other comparatively light glnboats en-
terics and pounded at Fort Mex. The
heavy ships lay otfa distance of u mile and
a-half 10 two miles and threw their bio
projecticles at the sand batteries. and. Of
course, when they struck right did execu-
ton, but there seems to be disappointment
at their performance Z,@,
The town itself has not been bombarded.
but the fire was directed exclusively ut the
forts. The palace destroyed and the light
house cut down were acts that could moi
well have been avoided.
The Egyptian officers set good example
to their men, often jumping upon the par
apets to see the effects of their fire. The
party of marines which landed from the
!nvincible to blowfup Fort Mex saw several
dead lying inside the fort. The Egyptians
had no shells, which fact accounts for the
small number of casualties on the British
vessels.
The fact that the English admiral controls
the cable at Alexandria, and subjects all the
dispatches sent from the seat of war to a
conveys the Impression that
we do not get the exact history, of .yester-
days bombardment. 49, !,,.,I..