On the 10th July all merchant vessels and all foreign men-of-war left the harbour, and the British Fleet prepared for action. Admiral Seymour's squadron consisted of fifteen vessels: the ironclads _Alexandra_ (flagship), Captain C. F. Hotham; _Superb_, Captain T. Le Hunte Ward; _Sultan_, Captain W. J. Hunt-Grubbe; _Téméraire_, Captain H. F. Nicholson; _Inflexible_, Captain J. A. Fisher; _Monarch_, Captain H. Fairfax, C.B.; _Invincible_, Captain R. H. M. Molyneux; _Penelope_, Captain S. J. C. D'Arcy-Irvine: the torpedo-vessel _Hecla_, Captain A. K. Wilson; gunboats _Condor_, Commander Lord C. Beresford; _Bittern_, Commander Hon. T. S. Brand; _Beacon_, Commander G. W. Hand; _Cygnet_, Lieutenant H. C. D. Ryder; _Decoy_, Lieutenant A. H. Boldero; and dispatch vessel { 187} _Helicon_, Lieutenant W. L. Morrison. The coast fortifications extended over a front of rather more than nine miles, from Fort Marabout on the south-west to Fort Silsileh on the north-east. Midway between the two, projects the forked spit of land whose northern arm encircles the new Port, and whose southern arm, extending in a breakwater, encloses the old Port. The twelve forts or batteries mounted in all 261 guns and mortars.
[Illustration: THE BOMBARDMENT OF ALEXANDRIA, 11TH JULY, 1882. FROM CHART DRAW BY AUTHOR AT THE TIME]
The bombardment of Alexandria has been so thoroughly described in standard works that repetition must be unnecessary; and such interest as the present narrative may contain, must reside in the record of personal experience. I may say at once that any notoriety attached to the part borne by the _Condor_ in the action was due to accidental circumstance. She happened to fight apart from the rest of the Fleet and in full view of the foreign warships and merchant vessels; and, in obedience to the orders of the admiral, she had on board the correspondent of _The Times_, the late Mr. Moberly Bell. The _Condor_ was actually under way when I received instructions to embark Mr. Bell. Mr. Frederic Villiers, the artist war-correspondent, by permission of the admiral, had been my guest on board for several days.
The following account of the action is taken from a private letter written at the time:--