Alexandria: A History and a GuideForster, E. M. (Edward Morgan)
History
Alexandria: A History and a Guide
Forster, E. M. (Edward Morgan)
Alexandria (Egypt) -- Guidebooks; Alexandria (Egypt) -- History
Unfortunately Admiral Seymour, after his success, never landed a force
to keep order, and the result was a riot far more disastrous than that
of June. With the withdrawal of Arabi’s troops the native population
lost self control. The Khedive had now broken with Arabi, but during the
bombardment he had moved from Ras-el-Tin Palace to Ramleh and his
authority was negligible. Pillaging went on all day on the 12th, and by
the evening the city had been set on fire. The damage was material
rather than artistic, the one valuable object in the Square, the statue
of Mohammed Ali, fortunately escaping. Rues Chérif and Tewfik
Pacha—indeed all the roads leading out of the Square—were destroyed, and
nearly every street in the European quarter was impassable through
fallen and falling houses. Empty jewel cases and broken clocks lay on
the pavements. Every shop was looted, and by the time Admiral Seymour
did land it was impossible for his middies to buy any jam; one of them
has recorded this misfortune, adding that in other ways Alexandria, then
in flames, was “well enough.” Meanwhile the Khedive had returned to his
Palace, and order was slowly restored. It is not known how many lives
were lost in this avoidable disaster.
(iv). _Military Operations._
A large British force was despatched under Lord Wolseley to the Suez
Canal—the force that finally defeated Arabi at Tel-el-Kebir. But, until
it reached Egypt, Alexandria remained in danger, for Arabi might attack
from his camp at Kafr-el-Dawar. So the city had to be defended on the
east. In the middle of July General Alison arrived with a few troops,
including artillery, and occupied the barracks at Mustapha Pacha, the
hill of Abou el Nawatir, and the water works down by the canal. He could
thus watch Arabi’s movements. And he had a second strongly fortified
position at the gates of the Antoniadis Gardens, in case he was attacked
from the south. Here he was able to hold on and to harry the enemy’s
outposts until pressure was relieved. His losses were slight; the
regiments involved are commemorated by tablets in the English church.
Next month Wolseley arrived, and having inspected the position
re-embarked his troops and pretended that he was going to land at
Aboukir. Arabi was deceived and prepared resistance there. Wolseley
steamed past him, and landed at Port Said instead. Arabi then had to
break up his camp, and the danger for Alexandria was over.
RUE DES SŒURS: p. 170.
FORT ADDA: p. 132.
FORT KAIT BEY: p. 133.
MUSTAPHA BARRACKS: p. 96.
GUN ON ABOU EL NAWATIR: p. 165.
ANTONIADIS GARDENS: p. 157.
TABLETS IN ENGLISH CHURCH: p. 103.
HOWITZER OF ARABI; at Egyptian Government Hospital: p. 163.
CONCLUSION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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