The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-08-09

ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT, July II, 1882.
$3.50 We arrived here on the evening
OF the 1st instant. The harbor was full
of iron-clads and other mcn-o!-war, about
thirty I'm all, representing thirteen nation
aities. Several times since we have been
in port this mass OF shipping has been
decked In honor OF various national ami
yersarics--among them the 4th OF July
with gaudy rainbews OF bunting extend
ing from the waters edge under the flying
gibboom up over the mastheads and down
10 the waters edge astern. BY means OF
distance lines and other sailors tricks
these flags all fly out at sunrise, and at sum
set disappear as il by magic, while at noon
salutes OF twenty-one guns are thllndered
from the different fiagships.
The United States ships Lancaster ana
Galena had arrived before us, the former
bearing Admiral Nicholson's nag. some
Of the officers of the Galena had been
ashore on the night OF the massacre, and
they represented the affair as quite excl
ting. They took refuge in one OF the con-
sulatcs, and slipped off late at night when
things had quoted down little. will not
attempt to describe the situation to you.
We hear all sorts OF rumors, but know
nothing accurately, whereas the New York
papers have everything by cable. we nave
been allowed to 60 ashore on condition OF
wearing uniform and putting ourselves
under the protection Of Egyptian officers,
who would go along as escorts. There was
nothing to do the European places had all
been closed, and we had seen the town be-
fore 80, few Of us availed ourselves OF the
privilege. The English have seemed most
enthusiastic. They have many OF their
heavicst-armored ships present, and also
number of gunboats. Admiral seymour
has been given large powers by the Home
Government, and, as things have turned
out, has not failed TO use them. lie Is IN
constant communication with England by
means OF a telegraph-ship that has picked
I'D and buoyed the end Of the cable.
On Sunday last, the 9th, visited III. NJ.
5. Inflexible in company with several other
officers. She was lying off outside the bar,
having too great a draught to come IN.
Her displacement is about $4,000 tons, or
between six and seven times as much as
ours. she is the most formidable ship the
English possess, is plated with twenty-iour
inches OF armor over the vital parts, and
carries four eighty-ton guns arranged Ill
pairs in two diagonally-placed turrets, COM
manding fire around the entire horizon.
You may form some idea OF the size OF
these guns if you recOlect the krupp gun
in Machinery Hall at the Centennial, which
was 5C4 tons in weight. The loading and
training is done by hydraulic power, and
il is simply wonderful TO observe the ease
with which the motion is accomplished.
As the In1eXible had steam up at the
time, the officers were kind enough to show
us the working OF the turrcts. Two levers
Al cd nv a oh
moved a mass OF $50 tons, the weight OF
turret and guns, with great rapidity, and
without shock. The shells weigh LOO
pounds each, and the charge of powder
$50 mounds. or both together about ton,
the weight OF load Of coal. One man
raises both into position, and rams them
home by working a small lever. The ship
is lighted throughout by electricity, and in
the coming tower, or armored pilot-house,
are innumerable telephones, bell signals,
speed.indicators, electric circuits for dis
charging torpedoes. and n steam steering
wheel. IT is entirely confusing to 90
through such q ship for the first time, and
the gunnery lieutenant told me he had been
ordered aboard OF her nine months before
she went into commission to become ac-
quainted with her mechanism.
You know, probably, that Arab Pacha
has been the head and front OF the whole
disturbance. DO not know much Of him,
except that he has had very little education
and lfls risen from q sergeant. He was
present at the dinner given at Cairo last
February, when we were here in honor OF
Washington's birthday, and all OF us
thought he seemed to be man OF much
determination and force of character. Since
the fleets have been in port he has been
hard AZ work getting all the available guns
into position on the Notifications around
the harbor, though warned by the English
Admiral that such acts would be considered
expressive OF hostile intentions. Finally
the Admiral sent an ultimatum, allow
ing twelve hours TO discontinue all
work, failing which, he would bonn
bard the town. The answer was an in
creased display Of activity i'll getting guns
into position. Warning was then given
the different consuls and the neutrals in
port that hostilities might commence at any
time after II. NJ. on Monday the 10TH
On that day there was general stampede
Of vessels, all the neutrals taking positions
off the port out OF range of the shore bat
teries. We have about sixty refugees
aboard, OF all nationalities, among them the
United States Consul and the correspond
ents of the New York Herald and the Lon
don Teiegroph.
At early daylight on the 11th we were
not surprised TO find the English taking up
positions off the different batteries. The
! harbor of Alexandria is divided into two
ports-the eastern and western-by strip
of land running out to tie northward in
the shape OF boot. The ancient light
house of PharOs, one Of the seven wonders
OF the world, was situated at the heel, on
the northeastern extremity, and the present
! lighthouse is at the toe, or western eX-
! tremity. A breakwater nearly two miles
long extends to the southwark and west
ward from this point, forming fine
harbor inside. A bar stretches across
the entrance at little distance out
in a southwesterly direction until II
reaches the curve OF the coast ut the western
termination OF the line OF Notifications.
Where Pharos formerly stood is one OF
the strongest forts; there Is another at the
toe OF the boot; Fort Napoleon is on q
high hill back in the town, and chain OF
batteries OF greater or less strength extends
along the entire coast from one end Of the
harbor to the other.
On the morning, then, OF the 18th, those
of us who were up early saw stretched
along before the batteries the most power
full aleet that ever burned powder in war.
To our left were the Sultan, superb, and
Alexandra in position to engage Pharos
and the battery at the toe of the boot; in
front of us the InfeXible and the Teme-
raire, to fire over the breakwater at the
central Notifications; and to the extreme
right, inside of the bar, the Admiral's flag
ship lnyncible, the Monarch, and the
Penelope to silence the batteries ut the