The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-07-15
FIGHTING In EGYPT.
Cf.3 OF ALEXANDRIA BoMBAGUED
BY THE BRITISH FLEET.
Egyptian FortincatiOns TO Pieces-The
British Killed and Wounded.
CanSe of the War.

rs 1oreShadoWed IN the last issue OF TIL
NATIONAL TRIBUNE the bombardment OF
Alexandria by the British feet commenced on
Tuesday morning at daybreak. Assurances
had been given by the Egyptian commander
that work on the Notifications would cease, but
by turning the electric lights on shore it was
seen that Arab Pacha's men were mounting
guns and digging earthworks. On Monday
Admiral Seymour demanded the surrender OF
the Notifications, which was refused, and, as
stated the bombardment was begun on Tues
day after twenty-fou hours notice.
A cablegram dated a. m, on Monday, says:
The forts are engaged at close quarters, the
vessels moving during the action. The Egypt
ians continued at work on the Notifications
until the firing began, and could be seen from
the decks of the American vessels lying in the
harbor. Men belonging to the Monarch and
others of the fleet fitted iron shields on the
tops from which to fire machine guns.
Reports received from the shore before the
commandment began stated that the people were
fleeing in every direction. Save a somewhat
numerous colony of Greeks and Italians the
European residents had all left the city. Those
who remained barricaded their houses. The
natives were very insolent. Aperfect panic pre-
walls among the Arabs The Khedive sent his
family TO his country palace. There was no
reply to Admiral Seymours ultimatum up to 5
o'clock, and the determination of the Egypt
ians to fight was plainly indicated by their
ID continuing at work on the forts and bodies of
troops could be seen moving about. The mill
tary declared that they would defend the forts
to the last, and then retire into the interior,
where preparations for resistance are complete.
Admiral Seymour declines to allow newspaper
correspondents to 60 aboard his war ships, and
has deputed an officer to supervise all kilograms
Many of the correspondents have taken refuge
on the American fleet which lies two miles
outside the harbor. Arab declares that he
will not yield an inch
A cable from Paris says: An article by John
Lemoinne on the Egyptian question appears
this morning in the DeJdtS "At a moment
like the present" he says, "when hostilities in
Egypt may be imminent, it is imperative for
the Executive power to ask the Chambers for
vote of confidence and for liberty to act as the
interests of the country may dictate Deiber-
ative assemblies win no battles and military
operations cannot be accomplished merely by
studying the question. If the admiral who
commands the French fleet before Alexandria
thinks it necessary to use his men and cannon
he must have liberty to do so. We cannot
stand still in the face of armed Intervention in
Egypt. Matters having come to the present
pass we hope heartily that the conference may
lead to nothing and that we may thus be re-
stored our freedom. Turkish intervention
would be fatal expedient."
LII
most powerful as well as the most numerous of
any fleets abroad, comprises six iron-clads-
namely, the Alexandra, flying the flag of the
Vice Admiral Commanding in Chief on the
station. an armOred vessel of 9,492 tons dis
placement, armed with two 25-ton and ten 18-
ton guns, with her hull protected by armor 49,
inches thick at the most vital parts Of the YES
sci, and carrying a crew of GIL officers and
men; the Inhexible, of II 800 tons displace-
ment, with four 80-ton guns, arnor 2i inches
thick and a crew of $40 officers and men; the
Temeraire, of S,412 tons displacement, with
four 25-ton and four 1S-ton guns armor -!
inches thick, and a crew of 534 officers and
men; the Superb, of 1894 tons displacement
armored with 49, inch iron plates, and carry
ing 620 officers and men; the Monarch, of 1922
tons, with 81 inch armor four 25-ton, two 12-
ton and one Clifton guns, and crew of 515
officers and men, and the Invincible, of 6,034
tons displacement, armed with ten 12-ton guns,
protected by 81 inches of armor, and carrying
crew Of $50 officers and men. With the exception
of the iris fast steel dispatch vessel, of 3,735
tons; the Hecla, torpedo depot ship of 6,4OO
tons, with a crew of 223 officers and men; and
the Hibernia, a receiving ship permanently
stationed at Malta, with a crew Of 121 officers
and men, the other vessels on the Mediterra-
mean station are all gunboats, small paddle
wheel steamers, &C., with crews of from so to
100 men each; the aggregate of the crews of
all the ships on the station, including the iron
clads, being 1867 of all ranks.