Plate taken from the 'Illustrated London News'. Naval innovations of the late nineteenth century, included increasingly heavy guns, and torpedoes. Aboad HMS 'Alexander', a 9,490-ton battleship, the armaments, which consisted of 2 11-inch guns and 10 10-inch muzzle loaders, were mounted in a central citadel or battery. HMS 'Alexander' is taking part in the bombardment of Alexandria of 1882 after anti-European riots in the state, formerly ruled by Turkey. The decisive battle was fought at Tall al Kabir on 13 September, 1882. The nominal authority of the appointed khedive was restored, and the British occupation of Egypt, which was to last for seventy-two years, began.
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