The English Government seems to have thought Admiral Seymour’s
conduct good, for they have just made him a Baron.
The sailors and marines of the fleet were landed as soon as it was
ascertained that Arabi’s forces had retreated. These were joined by
detachments from the German and American men-of-war, for the purpose
of protecting their consulates, in the first place, and then they
assisted in extinguishing fires, seizing marauders, and rescuing many
terror-stricken people from the most imminent danger; patrolling the
streets, and assisting, in every way, to restore order.
As regards the bombardment itself, it may be said that the Egyptian
batteries were served steadily and rapidly; and their aim was good.
The officers appear to have set a good example to their men, appearing
often upon the parapet, to watch the effect of their shot. All the
batteries facing the sea were destroyed by the heavy guns opposed to
them, and their guns dismounted. An explosion of a magazine, in one
fort, is said to have killed all of the garrison. The faces of the
batteries were pulverized, and large holes were made in the masonry
of the lighthouse, and the large stone fort adjoining was reduced to
ruin, and all its guns dismounted. The loss of life in the garrisons
of these forts must have been frightful. The harem palace was damaged
extensively by shell and by fire.
The Arab quarter behind Fort Pharos caught all the shell which missed
the batteries; and here all was chaos and destruction.
Of the English ships, the Penelope was struck five times, and had eight
men wounded, and one gun disabled. The Invincible was struck many
times, and six shots penetrated. She had six wounded, and some spars
shot away. The Monarch, which kept under way, was not hit. The Superb
had her funnel injured, and plates damaged. The Alexandra suffered
slight damage in her hull. The Sultan had her main-mast and funnel shot
through, and her hull pierced several times in the unarmored part. Two
of the 18-ton guns of the Alexandra were disabled by shot, which passed
in at the port-holes.
[Illustration: THE ALEXANDRA. 1877.
(Ironclad, English Navy. Her appearance after being launched.)]