Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1882-07-20
ALEXANDRIA.
A Modern BOmbardment.

VII elc MeditcIldiiciui, upon al HUN
called the Heptastadium, near the
Island of Pharos, and about II miles
west of the Canopic mouth of the
Nile, has been the scene of modern
bombardment. This engagement,
though to the principal actors in it lit
tie more than aday of ordinary target
practice, is attracting the attention of
the world, both on account of the re-
latiOn 1t sustains to the general peace
of Europe, and because it is the first
time that modern guns and vessels
have had an opportunity of exhibiting
their effectiveness. Heretofore, the
post of danger in managing improved
artillery has been in the rear and not
at the front. Their operation before
Alexandria seems to have been at
tended with few or no casualties of
that sort and the days practice of the
English men-of-war is looked upon
by scientific students as satisfactory
in its results, and Us being the nearest
approach that has been made to act
al warfare. There is something Pc
culiar in these modern contests of
Great Britain. They are not with
combattants worthy of their prowess
but with such nations as the Lulus,
Abyssinians, Afghans and Egyptian
Beduins. Admiral Seymour went
very leisurely and Systematically to
work. He named the exact hour at
which the bombardment would begin
and promptly at the appointed time,
a. m., eight of the most formidable
iron clads in the world opened fire
with the largest guns known to mod
ern warfare. Within few hours
three or four of the forts attacked
were silenced, the most of their guns
being dismounted by the accuracy of
the range brought to bear against
them. By noon four of the forts had
been blown up by shells penetrating
their magazines, and by evening all
the forts but two were hors du combat
and silenced, making an orderly and
successful days work for the fleet;
but very disagreeable and demoral-
izing one for Arab Pasha and his
Egyptian forces.
We know the names of the vessels
engaged in this action, but have little
conception Of their character or the
/ weights and bores of their ornaments.
They seem, however, to have been
capable of wonderful accuracy and
effect, and it is to be hoped that an
accurate account of all that pertains
to them will be gotten up for public
satisfaction. The Alexandra, Sultan,
Superb, IntieXible, Temeraire, Pen
elope, Invincible and Monarch par
ticipated in the engagement. Of these
the Intlexible ranks highest, being 800
feet in length, and Is in breadth, with
an armor weighing 3155 tons. Her
displacement is L ,406 tons, and her
lpOwer is concentrated in a central
citadel 110x75 feet, u feet in height,
the lower half of which is below water
line and encloses engines, boiler and
magazines. Her walls ale IL inches
thick, and her armor varies from 16
to "a inches. This central castle has
2 turretts, % feet in diameter, each
of which contains two 81 ton guns ca
ipable of firing a 1850 pound shot with
a charge Of 800 pounds of powder.
This vessel has engines of 5000
horse. power and can make 13 knots
per hour. Her officers and crew num-
Der about 400. Next in order comes
the Monarch and the Sultan, to which
latter the Alexandria and Temeraire
are similar but smaller. The Pene-
lope is the smallest, her armor being
only from 3 to 6 inches with horse
ipower of 4.703 and an armament OF
ten 12-ton guns. Sir Michael Sey-
mour who commanded these ships is
over so years old. He became a
/ Lieutenant in 1922, Captain in 1926,
and when the war broke out with
Russia he was selected by Sir Charles
Napier as his tiag-captain. In 1855
he was promoted to a admiral
and second in command. In 1856 he
bombarded Canton in China with ten
men of war successfully, and was
awarded the grand cross. He served
in parliament in 1859 and became
yice-admiral of the British feet in
l1S76.
The city of Alexandria also suffered
great damage during the lombard
ment and was finally set on fire by its
retreating military and civilians.
Over mile square Of it is reported
to be in ruins. The Egyptian army
lis thought to have retreated to Rosetta
|aud Damanhour, and part of the fleet
has been sent to Port Said at the
mouth of the Suez Canal.
The remote cause of this lombard.
ment is Egyptian hatred to Christian
foreigners and desire to escape from
the taxation required by their national
Indebtedness. In 1867 the Sultar
appointed Ishmael Pasha fourth vice.
roy of Egypt with the title of Khedive
or representative. Under increasing
financial pressure Nubar Pasha, 6
christian educated in England was
entrusted with forming a ministry in
order to satisfy foreign bondholders.
In this new government Mr.. Rivers
Wilson an Englisman became minis
for of fiuapoa with Erapob Collaooue