THE EISIHG IN ALEXANDEIA 21

Arabics soldiers did not flinch, but, in spite of the number that fell, worked their guns as fast as ever.

Had they been accustomed to the huge Krupp guns in their

batteries, the combat would have been more equal; and although the end would have been the same, the ships must have suffered terribly. Fortunately the Egyptian artillery- men had little experience in the working of these heavy

pieces, and their shot in almost every case flew high—some- times above the masts, sometimes between them, but in only

a few instances striking the hull. With their smaller guns they made good practice, but though the shot from these

pieces frequently struck, they dropped harmlessly from the

iron sides, and only those that entered through the port-

holes effected any damage. The Condor, under Lord Charles

Beresford, was the first to engage Fort Marabout, and for

a time the little gun-boat was the mark of all the guns of

the fort. But the other four gun-boats speedily came to her

assistance, and effectually diverted the fire of the fort from

the ships that were engaging Fort Mex.

At eight o’clock the Monarch, having silenced the fort

opposite to her and dismounted the guns, joined the Inflexible and Penelope in their duel with Fort Mex, and by nine

o’clock all the guns were silenced except four, two of which

were heavy rifled guns well sheltered. In spite of the heavy

fire from the three great ships the Egyptian soldiers main-

tained their fire, the officers frequently exposing themselves

to the bullets of the machine-guns by leaping upon the para-

i pet to ascertain the effect of their own shot. The harbour

forts were by this time crumbling under the shot of four

I warships opposed to them; the Pharos suffered most heavily

[ and its guns were absolutely silenced, while the fire from the

[ other two forts slackened considerably. At half-past ten it

I was seen that the Bas-el-Teen Palace, which lay behind the

I fort, was on fire, and half an hour later the fire from that

fort and Fort Ada almost died out.

The British Admiral now gave the signal to cease firing,