The first place attacked was the town and fortress of Beyrout. The
English had thirteen sailing ships and four steamers. There was a
Turkish squadron of seven ships, under Admiral Walker, who was then in
the service of the Sultan, and three Austrian ships. Though cannonaded
for several days, the place still held out. However, on the 2nd of
October an Egyptian gunner, who had deserted, came on board the
_Hastings_ at Beyrout, and gave information that a train had been laid
along the bridge to the eastern castle, where a large quantity of powder
was concealed; and he undertook to guide a party to cut the train and
seize the powder.
Commander Worth at once offered to perform this dangerous service, and
numbers volunteered to follow him. He embarked in one of the boats of
the _Hastings_, protected by the launch and pinnace of the _Edinburgh_,
and covered by the fire of the ships. Dashing on in the face of a heavy
fire of musketry, he landed on the bridge, cut off the train, and then
forced his way into the castle, over the walls of which he threw some
sixty or seventy barrels of powder, and succeeded in bringing off
thirty-one barrels more.
Unfortunately, in this service, Mr Luscomb, a midshipman of the
_Hastings_, was killed; the Egyptian, and two seamen of the _Hastings_
and one of the _Edinburgh_, were wounded.