The opening scene may perhaps be best described in the words of the correspondent of the _Standard_ newspaper, Mr. Cameron, afterwards killed in battle in the Soudan, who was on board the flagship _Invincible_. 'At half-past six,' he says, 'a quiet order was passed round the decks, "Load with common shell." A gleam of satisfaction shone on the men's faces. Half-an-hour later a signal was made to the _Alexandra_ to fire the challenging gun. That was done, and, the Egyptians continuing hostile preparations, the flags ran up at the _Invincible's_ mast-head for the fleet to commence action. The order was given on board the _Invincible_ to begin "independent firing." A deafening salvo from five 9-inch guns went from the side of the _Invincible_, while overhead the ten Nordenfelt guns in the tops swelled the din which burst forth from all the ships with a succession of drum-like tappings. 'The smoke from the very commencement of the engagement was so dense that we could see nothing of the effect which our fire was producing, nor of what the enemy were doing; but soon after we began, a sharp scream overhead, followed by the uplifting columns of spray to seaward as the shots struck the water, made it clear that the enemy were replying to our iron salute.... They appeared to have got our range pretty accurately, and round and conical shot whistled thickly through the masts. I went round the ship and found the men fighting the main-deck guns all stripped to the waist. Between each shot they had to sit down and wait until the smoke cleared a little.' Meanwhile the _Condor_ and the other gun-vessels lay in the offing, behind the battle-ships that were engaging Fort Mex, looking on and awaiting their opportunity. The first thing that came the _Condor's_ way was to assist the _Temeraire_, which had got aground. The _Temeraire_ was got off about eight o'clock, and immediately after that the _Condor's_ chance offered. [Illustration: Emery Walker sc. BOMBARDMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: JULY 11, 1882--9 A.M. (In the course of the morning the _Inflexible_ and _Temeraire_, and the _Alexandra_, _Sultan_, and _Superb_, shifted their positions.)] Lord Charles Beresford, as he watched the battle, had observed that the westernmost of the forts, Fort Marabout, was firing at the British inshore-squadron opposite Mex, the _Invincible_, _Monarch_, and _Penelope_, and apparently annoying them. He sent for one of his officers and said, 'I shall stand down and make myself useful by engaging that fort.' 'You must be mad, sir,' was the reply. 'It is the second heaviest fort, and one shot from the heavy guns would knock us into smithereens.' But the commander of the _Condor_ was not to be put off that way. 'The apparently impossible,' he answered, 'is often the easiest. Anyway, nothing can be done unless we try.... If I can get on the angle of the fort, I believe we can hit their guns without their hitting us. The thing is to get there.'