At seven o'clock the Alexandra began the engagement by firing a single gun, then the whole fleet opened fire, the Egyptian artillerymen replying with great steadiness and resolution. There was scarcely a breath of wind, and the ships were in a few instants shrouded in their own smoke, and were frequently obliged to cease firing until this drifted slowly away, to enable them to aim their guns. The rattle of the machine-guns added to the din. Midshipmen were sent aloft, and these signalled clown to the deck the result of each shot, so that the gunners were enabled to direct their fire even when they could not see ten yards beyond the muzzle of the guns. In a short time the forts and batteries showed how terrible was the effect of the great shells. The embrasures were torn and widened; there were great gaps in the masonry of the buildings, and the hail of missiles from the machine-guns swept every spot near the Egyptian guns; and yet Arabi's 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 artillerymen had little experience in the working of these heavy pieces, and their shot in almost every case flew high—sometimes above the masts, sometimes between them, but in only a few in stances 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 maintained their fire, the officers frequently exposing themselves to the bullets of the machine-guns by leaping upon the parapet to ascertain the effect of their own shot. The harbour forts were by this time crumbling under the shot of four 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 was seen that the Bas-el-Teen Palace, which lay behind the 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, and as the smoke cleared away, the effects of the five hours' bombardment were visible. The forts and batteries were mere heaps of ruins, the guns could be made out lying dismounted, or standing with their muzzles pointing upwards. The ships had not come out scatheless, but their injuries were for the most part immaterial, although rigging had been cut away, bulwarks smashed, and sides dinted. One gun of the Penelope had been disabled and two of the Alexandra. Only five men had been killed altogether and twenty-seven wounded.
No sign was made of surrender, and an occasional fire was kept up on the forts to prevent the Egyptians from repairing damages. At one o'clock twelve volunteers from the Invincible started to destroy the guns of Fort Mex. Their fire had ceased and no men were to be seen in the fort, but they might have been lying in wait to attack any landing-party. On nearing the shore the surf was found to be too heavy for the boat to pass through it, and Major Tulloch and six men swam ashore and entered the fort. It was found to be deserted, and all the guns but two ten-inch pieces dismounted. The charges of gun-cotton that the swimmers brought ashore with them were placed in the cannon and their muzzles blown off. After performing this very gallant service the little party swam back to their boat. The British admiral's position was now a difficult one. There were no signs of surrender; for aught he could tell, fifteen thousand Egyptian troops might be lying round the ruined forts or in the town hard by, in readiness to oppose a landing. That these troops were not to be despised was evident by the gallantry with which they had fought their guns. This force would be aided by the mass of the population, and it would be hazardous indeed to risk the loss of fifteen hundred men, and the reversal of the success already gained. At the same time it was painful to think that the Europeans on shore might be massacred and the whole city destroyed by the exasperated troops and fanatical population.
It was known that the number of Englishmen there was not large, two or three hundred at most; but there was a much larger number of the lower class of Europeans—port labourers, fishermen, petty shopkeepers, and others,—who had preferred taking their chance to the certainty of losing all their little possessions if they left them. Anxiously the glasses of those on board the ships were directed towards the shore in hopes of seeing the white flag hoisted, or a boat come out with it flying; but there were no signs of the intentions of the defenders, and the fleet prepared to resume the action in the morning. Fort Marabout and several of the batteries on the shore were still unsilenced, and two heavy guns mounted on the Moncrieff system (by which the gun rose to a level of the parapet, fired, and instantly sank again) had continued to fire all day in spite of the efforts of the fleet to silence them. Next morning, however, there was a long heavy swell, and the ironclads were rolling too heavily for anything like accuracy of aim; but as parties of men could be seen at work in the Moncrieff battery, fire was opened upon them and they speedily evacuated it.
All night the Palace of Bas-el-Teen burned fiercely, another great fire was raging in the heart of the town, and anxiety for those on shore for the time overpowered the feeling of exultation at the victory that had been gained. At half-past ten a white flag was hoisted at the Pharos battery, and all on board watched with deep anxiety what was to follow. Lieutenant Lambton at once steamed into the fort in the Bittern to enquire if the government were ready to surrender It was three o'clock before he steamed out again with the news that his mission was fruitless, and that the white flag had only been hoisted by the officer in command of the fort to enable himself and his men to get away unmolested. Lieutenant Lambton had obtained an interview with the military governor on behalf of the government, and told him that we were not at war with Egypt, and had simply destroyed the forts because they threatened the fleet, that we had no conditions to impose upon the government, but were ready to discuss any proposal, and that the troops would be allowed to evacuate the forts with the honour of war.
It was most unfortunate that the fleet had not brought with them two or three thousand troops. Had they done so they could have landed at once and saved a great portion of the town from destruction; but as he had no soldiers the admiral could not land a portion of the sailors, as the large Egyptian force in the town, which was still protected by a number of land batteries, might fall upon them. At five o'clock the Helicon was sent in to say that white flags would not be noticed unless hoisted by authority, and if they were again shown the British admiral would consider them the signs of a general surrender. It was a long time before the Helicon returned with news that no communication had been received from the enemy, that the barracks and arsenals seemed to be deserted, and as far as could be seen the whole town was evacuated. As evening wore on, fresh fires broke out in all parts of the town, and a steam pinnace was sent ashore to ascertain, if possible, the state of affairs. Mr. Ross, a contractor for the supply of meat to the fleet, volunteered to accompany it.