every direction. The principal magazine, containing many thousand
barrels of gunpowder, had exploded, in consequence, as was supposed, of
a shell having been thrown into it by one of the steam-ships. A large
number of the garrison were blown up by the explosion, and many more
probably were buried amid the ruins. Notwithstanding this catastrophe,
the five guns opposed to the _Revenge_ continued their fire, and kept it
up to the last. About sunset the signal was made to discontinue the
engagement, but Napier fired away for some time after dusk, lest the
enemy should be tempted to re-man their guns. At length the admiral's
flag-lieutenant brought an order for the ships to withdraw. The
_Revenge_, slipping her anchor, made sail without difficulty. The
_Princess Charlotte_ picked up both hers and made sail, but, casting the
wrong way, nearly got on shore. She was, however, conducted in a most
seamanlike manner, not a word being heard on board her. The _Powerful_
was towed out by the _Gorgon_. The _Thunderer_ and _Bellerophon_, as
also the southern squadron, remained at anchor.

During the night a boat brought off information that the Egyptian troops
were leaving the town, and, in consequence, at daylight, 300 Turks and a
party of Austrian marines landed and took unopposed possession of it.
The casualties of the allies amounted to only 14 English and 14 Turks
killed, and 42 wounded. Notwithstanding the long continued fire to
which the ships had been exposed, they escaped with slight damage. The
havoc caused by the bombardment on the walls and houses was very great,
while it was calculated that the explosion had destroyed between one and
two thousand persons, two entire regiments being annihilated, with a
number of animals. On the 4th another explosion took place, by which a
marine was killed, and Captain Collier had his leg fractured.

This was the first occasion on which the advantages of steam had been
fully proved in battle, by the rapidity with which the steamers took up
their positions, and the assistance they rendered to the other ships, as
also by the destruction the shells thrown from them produced. The
survivors of the garrison, amounting to 3000, were taken prisoners,
while nearly 200 guns and mortars and field-pieces were captured.
Ibrahim's army, which in September had amounted to 75,000 men, had now
dwindled to 20,000, who, hard-pressed, were making their way back to
Egypt. On the fall of Acre, Na