Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-05-04

His vision flashed over the Eu- lean
landscape like . CLEAN of light At
twenty-eight he lad already discerned
that the best way to affiict Great Brit
ain was by destroying her influence in
the East Out of this noticn sprang his
project Of conquering Egypt. Beyond
Egypt lay all Asia. Europe, said he,
''is q molehill. There have never been
great empires and revolutions except in
the EasE where there are 600, 600, 600
men," The Directory readily assented
to his wishes. 1t is in evidence that that
body was moro than willing to have the
ambitious commander out Of Europe.
On the 18th of April, 119S, Napoleon
was appointed Communicated of the
Army Of the East. Virtually ne was to
go where he would, and accomplish
what he could. The matter once deter
mined, he br sught everything to results
with the greatest rapidity. He made
Toulon the rende5 Gus for his army and
feet. He gathered 80 his standard o ret
inue of the learned, mostly members Of
the Institute. He would disseminate the
civilization of the West in the effete
Orient En- route. he would conquer
Malta, still nominally under the domin-
ion of the knights. That done, he
would debark at Alexandria, overthrow
the dominion Of the Mameluke Beys,
and conquer and COLOMBO the land of the
Pharaohs. Admiral Brueys was called
to tho command of the feet. Napoleon
ordered his equipage to be prepared as
for a conqueror, q governor, q man of
letters.
Tho Egyptian expedition sailed from
Toulon on the 18th of May. The Gen.
erals ship was the Orient. On tho 10th
of June, tho squadron came to Malta
and that place, with its strong defenses,
was-partly by intrigue and partly by
.assault-taken from the Knights The
French flag was raised over the fortress,
and many of the Knights Joined the ex-
petition. Meanwhile, : English feet,
under command of Mellon, passed the
French flotilla without discovering it;
sailed on to Alexandria; paused there,
and then turned to the northeast, be-
lieving that Brueys had made for the
coast of Syria.
All this Injured to tie advantage of
the French. Napoleon was able to reach
Alexandria without attac : On the LIST
of July the column of Septimus Severus
rising il the distance, caught the sight
Of the French commander, and gave
token of q safe arrival. The army was
hastily debarked; but not sufficient care
was taken to put the French feet in q
defensible position. Without a mo-
ment's delay, the city was assailed by
l.
fighting was captured. The conqueror
Of Italy easily made himself master of
the city which Alexander had founded
as the capital of the world.
But all Egypt was not to be SO easily
taken. Bonaparte proclaimed his mis-
sion as that of liberator and pacificator.
The Turks and M2mell sss should be
expelled; but the people OF Egypt should
otherwise have peace. The nation should
be raised from the dust. New institu-
tons should be founded, but the old in
situations, and in particular the Mo-
hammedan religion, should be respect
ed. Extend to the ceremonies prescrib-
ed by the Koran" said the General to
his soldiers, land to the mosques the
same liberation which you have shown
to the synagogues-to the religion of
Moses and Of Jesus Christ"
For six days Bonaparte had his head.
quarters in Alexandria. He then remov-
ed to the house of the sheik of Daman-
hour, and there organized his expedi-
ton up the Nile. A fio.illa was ordered
to ascend the river, while the army
marched up the left bank. By strong
xr,ivp ftn fl.a
driven ahead. ard the land forces were
obliged to advance without naval sup
port. On the 18th of July, the Name
lukes, who, falling back from Alexan-
dria, had been organized into an army
under Murad Bey, made stand ut the
village Of Chebreisse, and We're forced
from that position by the French; but
the action was not deceive. Meanwhile,
the floti!la was assai cd by the enemy
from both banks of the Nile. The
| Mamelukes mounted small cannon on
| camcls, and inflicted OF little loss on
| the Europeans. The Elench boats, sep
arated from the army, were CALLED by
these attacks. On the 23rd of July, a
| junction was effected, but not until q
great battle had decided the campaign.
The conflict occurred Oh the plain
within sight Of the pyramids of Gizeh.
1t was perhaps the most picturesque
battle of modern times The French
army was drawn up in squares, ON the
Egyptian sands. The artillery was
planted at the angles of the squares.
| The commanders were Generals Desaix,
kleber, Ber:hier, and Menou-under
| the eye of the General -in-chief Tho
| plains round about were covered with
heavy masses of ,Jameluke horsemen
Bonaparte addressed his soldiers after
his manner, in a sort of Pindaric apos-
trophe. He called their attention to the
setting of the scene, and reminded them
that from the summit of Khufu's pyIa.
mid forty centuries srcrc looking dotrn
upon them. The battle was bloody and
decisive. Tho Mamelukes were over
whelmed by thousands. The officers ON
the French fiotilla, descending the river
on the next day, saw on the bank literal
e ~. - Il