[14] Parliamentary Blue Book, Egypt, No. 16, 1882, page 17.
[15] It is only right to mention that the authenticated cases are less than half the number above given.
[16] Mr. Simon Wolff, the United States Consul-General, was invited by one of his colleagues to flee with the rest, as "there was to be a massacre of all the Europeans and Christians." Mr. Wolff, who was a member of the Hebrew community, remarked that he did not see how that would affect him, as he was neither one nor the other, and he remained at his post.
[17] This despatch was not delivered to the Admiral till the following day.
[18] There were, however, two exceptions which deserve to be mentioned. One was Mr. J. Easton Cornish, the English manager of the Alexandria Water Works, who resolutely refused to desert his post. The other was the Director-General of the Egyptian Postal Administration, the late Halton Pasha, likewise an Englishman, who, having a large number of European employés under his care, determined not to forsake them, and embarked at the last moment with them in a small steamer which remained moored alongside the breakwater during the bombardment.
[19] Although the fact in no way detracts from the gallant conduct of Lord Charles Beresford's exploit, it is necessary to add that the only real injury sustained by the fort was the burning of a small store. There were several hits on the scarp, but none of the guns were touched.
[20] At the bombardment of Algiers, by Lord Exmouth, the British loss was no less than 128 killed and 690 wounded.
[21] For his conduct on this occasion Mr. Harding received the Victoria Cross.
[22] Mr. John Ninet, in his work, "Arabi Pasha," puts the number of Egyptians killed during the bombardment at 680. General Stone, an American officer, serving as the Khedive's Chief of the Staff, estimates them at 700.
[23] The uncertainty attending the fire of war-ships in action was recently illustrated, though under totally different circumstances, in the engagement between the American and Spanish fleets at Santiago. On that occasion, out of a total of 8,060 rounds fired from the United States vessels, only 123, or 1·4 per cent., struck the enemy; whilst out of 47 rounds fired by the 13-inch guns there was not a single hit. The American loss was one man killed and one wounded, against 350 killed and 160 wounded on the Spanish side.