The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-26
Some Famous Bombardments

defense, notwithstanding that the forti-
fications of both cities were immensely
strong and up-to-date in every particular
However, there were extenuating circum-
stances in each case which accounted fol-
the premature success of the enemy.
The contest at Alexandria was short
but decisive. Within ten hours the Brit
ish fleet, under command of Admiral Sey-
mour. had effectually silenced every gun
on the shore Ten thousand shell and solid
shot were poured in on the thoroughly
frightened Egyptians, and a complete
evacuation of the forts was the result.
Yet very little execution was done by this
veritabie hal of iron, for the great para
pets Of san 1. which protected the batter
les, rendered harmless the huge 13-inch
projectiles, and it was only because Of the
havoc caused by the fragments of shells
which q Nv around everywhere and accom-
plished frightful slaughter among the
gallant adherents of Arab Pasha, joined
to a knowledge that their want Of accu-
racy in aiming left the feet practically IN
| harmed that the defense were so speedily
relinQuished to the British admiral. As
| every one knows. the guns were mostly
all spiked or blown to pieces by a land
ing party of marines but outside of the
forts themselves the destruction was very
| small, for the presence of friends as well
as foes in the city forbade an extensive
Smelling of any but the recognized native
quarter, yet sufficient damage was done
by the incendiary shells to start a fire
that almost destroyed the entire town.
In this engagement the enormous pow
er of the Si-ton guns. the projectiles of
which weigh over LOO pounds. was amply
demonstrated; but it was also made evil
| n no In
expensive entertainments of sand form an
invulnerable defense against even these
terrible weapons, and there can be little
doubt that, in the hands of experienced
| gunners. the guns OF the harbor batteries
would have given a much better account
Of themselves. 1t is even an open question
/ whether the fleet would not have been re-
| pulsed under such circumstances.
! The bombardment of Paris, though ii
can hardly be compared with a possible
attack on Havana, is yet worthy of no
tice as Illustrating what measures can
be taken to reduce an unwilling city to
subsection. During the month of Janu-
arE 1871, the Prussian guns literally rained
on the Notifications of the beautiful capt.
tai the seemingly impossible number of
10000 shells each day, and Of these more
than 500 fell on a daily average into the
city proper; the devastation caused by the
latter in some parts was frightful, and
the fires in consequence often threatened
to ruin whole districts. Many houses and
walls were thrown down by the garrison
so as to leave large open spaces where
shells could do but little or no damage,
yet many a one who had endured the
pangs Of hunger in silence and submitted
without complaint to the severe regula-
lions Of the commissary general, for the
honor and sake Of La Belle France
found 1t hard to restrain both tears and
indignation when. on returning from the
front after long and hopeless struggle
against an apparently invincible foe, he
could discover nothing save the ruins Of
his former homo.
Undoubtedly the most interesting story
Of siege and bombardment in the an
nails of warfare since cannon were first
invented is that of the unsuccessful at
tempt of Spain to regain in 1873 the for
tress of Gibraltar, which England had ia
ken by storm a few years before. For
three years and seven months the strong
hold was invested by large force of all
arms and practically uninterrupted fire
from 135 guns, including some fifty NOR
tars of 13-inch caliber, was maintained
from January u, 1850, till February 2, 1888.
Meanwhile the gallant little garrison was
but once relieved and suffered all the
pangs of starvation, not unmingled some
times with a feeling Of despair; still they
cling to the gigantic rock, repelling attack
cling to the gigantic rock, repelling attack
after attack with indomitable courage and
endurance. and infiicting enormous losses
on their opponents. The latter indeed are
deserving of praise for the pertinacity and
perseverance with which they returned
to the fray time after time. undaunted by
continual reverses, and hopeful ever to
retrieve the disgrace which they consid-
cred the presence OF the hated 'dnfidels" !
put them upon.
The most interesting and exciting cpl
sode during this long siege was the fero- |
cious attempt made by the Spaniards to- |
ward the close. when they strained every |
nerve to dismay and overcome the al |
ready exhausted, but still unfiinching gar
rison. More than $4,000 troops and 10 !
pieces of ordnance Of large caliber were
at the disposal of the Spanish general, |
and the ingenious type Of floating batter
les, strongly resembling the famous
cheese boxes on RATS" of the late war.
had been devised by the Dons, who ex-
pected great things Of them in the medi-
tated assault. The numbers of the op-
posing forces were ludicrously dispropor-
tomato: besides the aforementioned
troops and guns. the Spanish possessed
nine line of battleships, Is gun or mortar
boats, sufficient to land nearly 10000 men,
and. in addition, the ten floating batter
les, which consisted Of large vessels. their
sides protected by banking Of timber
seven feet thick, and the decks and guns
screened with a slanting roof of shot-proof
To this gigantic armament the
defense could only oppose some 1900 men, /
many of them sick or wounded and all re-
duced 10 Scanty Tations for many months
past. Ammunition was limited, and the
cannon even then was antiquated. On
he Sth of September. 1872. fire was opened
IN the fortress, at preconcerted signal,
BY the entire strength of the Spanish ar
illery. both on land and af1oat The float
ng batteries" were moored within half
-ange and proved indeed invulnerable to
shot and she'll which lasted all night and
lay until late on the 18th. On that day,
he garrison, unable to make any impress
sion on the fleet, whose efforts were begin
ling 10 give the small force Of defenders
considerable trouble and inconvenience, /
conceived the brilliant idea Of loading
heir guns with red-hot shot and burning
ihells, which, though of little or no pene-
rating power. turned out TO be very eff
ective against the wooden sides Of the
'attleships and gunboats; in fact, within
very few hours every one OF the float
ng batteries lay perfectly quiescent on |
he water, a useless mass of burning
lulks.
The endeavors and energies Of the de-
eHders finally prevailed over the vast nu-
nerical superiority OF their opponents, 1
nd on the 18th Of the month the desper-
.tely conducted attack was given up, and /
he spanish troops retired TO their lines. !