Page:The Development of Navies During the Last Half-Century.djvu/115

 moderate size tells most against fortifications. Every hole and cranny is then found out, to the discomfiture of the garrison.

The ships opened fire early on the morning of July 11th, 1882, at ranges varying from 1500 to 4000 yards. The fire was returned from the forts, but the ships being mostly under weigh were difficult to hit. This also affected the accuracy of their own fire, so that eventually they anchored and continued a heavy cannonade upon such forts as were still working their guns. Some were silenced about half-past ten, and this released some of the ships to devote their fire to other forts. At three o'clock fire had ceased from the shore. No great damage had been inflicted on the ships. The 'Alexandra' had suffered most. She was hit about thirty times, but mostly by round shot. About forty more hits were distributed among the remaining ships, and the total number of casualties was six killed and twenty-five wounded. The casualties on shore could not be ascertained, but they were probably heavy. The fire of the ships was accurate on the whole, but the fuses being defective, many of the shell did not burst. Several of the guns on shore were dismounted or disabled, but the works behind which they fought were not greatly damaged. This was owing to the small number of guns that could be opposed to them. The guns were silenced chiefly by projectiles entering the embrasures. In such operations vessels carrying a large number of moderate sized guns will be more effective than ships carrying monster ordnance few in number. For the attack of