Liverpool Journal, July 8th, 1882
The Egyptian crisis
Constantinople July 7th
The dragomans of the Embassies of all the great powers yesterday recommended the Porte to join the conference. Report circulated that the Server Pasha is appointed ottoman representative at the conference.
Alexandria July 7th.
Work on the fortifications has stopped since the delivery of Admiral SEYMOUR’S ultimatum yesterday.
Reconnaissance yesterday along the earthworks encircling the harbour, 98 guns were counted bearing upon the harbour.
Staff of the British Consulate are expected to board the TANJORE today as are the staff of the European Administration of the Egyptian Railways.
Mr A. MONEY, English member of the Caisse of the Public Dept
Mr Gerald FITZGERALD, Director General of Public Accounts.
Merchant vessels including the PENNINSULAR and the Oriental Co’s steamer TANJORE, have proceeded to the outer harbour, leaving the inner harbour to the squadron.
The reply of the Ragheb Pasha to the British ultimatum is regarded as unsatisfactory. A meeting held of the Consul General to induce Ragheb Pasha to give a more conciliatory reply to Admiral Seymour. The English acting, Consul General declined to attend.
Channel Fleet ordered to Alexandria
Malta, July 7th.
H. M. Despatch vessel, SALAMIS sailed for Brindisi to bring Major General Sir Evelyn WOOD to Malta.
H. M. Troopship HUMBER has gone to Alexandria with arms and ammunition.
The Channel Fleet
Conveys to Alexandria the 38th and the 96th Regiments and a detachment of Royal Engineers.
The hired transport NERISSA will take 200 troops.
The transport RHOSINA another 200 men with coals and ammunition.
The Spanish frigate CARMEN bound for Alexandria has arrived from Barcelona.
The French transport GARONNE and H.M gunboat MOSQUITO have arrived at Suez
War preparations
The Indian troopship MALABAR has brought round to the south railway jetty at Portsmouth dockyard yesterday morning in readiness to embark, the 47th and 56th Regiments, with which she sails this evening for the Mediterranean.
Preparations continue today at Woolwich and other military manufacturing towns with undiminished vigour.
At the Royal Laboratory Woolwich, 80,000 additional ball cartridges are to be turned out per week, whilst at the Royal Shell Foundry and Dockyard similarly increased activity is manifested.
Troops ordered to take part in Military Manoeuvres at Aldershot are now all ready, preparations to embark troops in 48hrs are completed
Regiments ordered abroad
The War Office have concluded their sittings concerning the mobilisation of the reserves, resulting in the First-Class Army Reserves being called out, without delay for permanent service.
The general and allowance regulations and financial instructions have been distributed to Officers commanding the Regimental districts, setting forth that on mobilisation special orders will be issued, stating the corps or depots the men are to be sent after reporting themselves.
On arrival at quarters the reserves will, after passing a medical examination, be sent, without arms to the corps or depots specified.
Men of the Army Reserve will rejoin the ranks or appointments they held on transfer to the Reserve.
Their arms, accoutrements and clothing will be issued without delay on arrival at the stations, and they will be entitled to rations or allowance in lieu thereof, to the day succeeding the one on which they rejoined.
Officers paying the Reserves to prepare travel warrants, payable by himself, to enable men to proceed from their residence to headquarters in the district.
The soldiers will receive pay on rejoining as the same rank or regiment, held on transfer to the reserve.
Reserves to be sent to garrisons in Great Britian denuded by the withdrawal for Egypt.
A Woolwich correspondent telegraphs, that arms and accoutrements have been despatched to the following towns where the recruits will rendezvous: -
Berwick, Carlisle, Newcastle, Richmond, Beverley, Cork, Pontefract, Halifax, Lancaster, Preston, Warrington, Burnley, Ashton, Bury, Chester, Lichfield, Shrewsbury, Worcester, Wrexham, Cardiff, Brecon, Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, Bedford, Warwick, Great Yarmouth, Exeter, Northampton, Bury St Edmunds, Bodmin, Taunton, Bristol, Dorchester, Reading, Devizes, Winchester, Oxford, Chichester, Guildford, Maidstone, Canterbury, Inverness, Perth, Aberdeen, Stirling, Hamilton, Ayr, Belfast, Glencorse, Omagh, Armagh, Naas, Birr, Galway, Conmel and Tralee.
Arms sent out on Wednesday number 20,000, and another 20,000 to be got in readiness.
The greatest security is being observed under stringent orders from headquarters with respect to the naval and military preparations going forward in the country.
On Tuesday a sitting of the Admiralty Board was held and attended by the Secretary of Sate for War, Mr CHILDERS and the Adjutant General Sir Garnet WOLSELEY.
A Plymouth correspondent says that should the War Office call out the Reserves, one regiment in garrison would be very materially increased – the 4th Royal Lancaster, at present its strength being considerably under a war footing, not exceeding 500, at least 500 of the 800 Reserve men would be sent to Plymouth, and the remainder would join the join the depot at Lancaster. They would be quartered at the Citadel.
The officers of the 4th Regiment believe that if war commenced they would be hurried to the scene of operations.
The reason for their selection to active service, so soon after their return from abroad, being that their regiment is one of the few that can boast of having anything like a proportion of old and tried soldiers, having an average of men of 8yrs standing, considered the best fitted for the arduous duties expected to be encountered in Egypt.
There would be no lack of volunteers, which was apparent on Thursday from feelings expressed in the barrack rooms.
The 82nd Regiment, also in Raglan Barracks would not likely have any of the Reserves attached, owing to it at present being 800 strong, but the corps consist mostly of young soldiers, and so, its presence in the field is unlikely.
Beyond the extra advantages, the men of the Army Reserve would reap an allowance of 3d a day for each child too young to work.
A large number of Marines have arrived at Chatham from Deal, forming the nucleus of another battalion for the Mediterranean.
A Woolwich correspondent telegrams:-
The constitution of the First Army Corps has been definitely decided upon. It will consist of 25,000 men, 10,000 men will be drawn from, Aden, India and the Mediterranean stations, and 15,000 from England.
This force will be three divisions each with separate staff.
Where there is a deficiency men will be chosen from the Reserves and will be called out at once.
The 1st Bat Scots Guards, now stationed at Wellington Barracks, St James Park, have been medically examined, only about 2 men per company were rejected.
The Commissariat Corps were today preparing appliances for field bakeries and butcheries. Equipment for 4 field companies of Royal Engineers, including stores for constructing bridges by the pontoon group and the travelling offices of the telegraph troop, were being fitted with the latest improvements.
Two 7 pounder batteries, of 200lb and 400lb guns and ammunition are nearly ready at the Royal Arsenal Woolwich for the mule transport service, large numbers of Gatling guns on travelling carriages, and light field pieces, carried by all vessels of the squadron, which will be manned by the Naval Brigade, are rapidly being prepared for service.
Lieut Col POWELL has visited Glasgow and has purchased 20 mules from the Glasgow Tramway Company. They are to be despatched from Glasgow for transportation, being more useful in a warm country like Egypt than horses.
Rear Admiral Anthony H. HOSKINS. C.B, one of the Lords of the Admiralty has been appointed 2nd in command to Admiral Sir Beauchamp SEYMOUR and will leave England at once for the East.
It is stated the 2nd Bat Highland Light Infantry and the 1st Bat Royal Irish Fusiliers have received orders to be in readiness to embark and will probably leave Aldershot this week.
The Admiralty is in communication with several leading ship owners to obtain suitable vessels for the transportation of troops and stores to Egypt. In consequence of the shallow water along the coast they are seeking to secure steamers of light draught so they can run in as close as possible to land troops.
Indian troops for Egypt
Bombay July 6th
Orders have been given to the Indian authorities to prepare for a despatch of Indian contingent to Egypt, consisting of 1,800 English troops, 3 batteries of Artillery and 5,000 native soldiers. Col O. V. TANNER will command the Bombay Brigade. Large seige trains are being prepared at Agra and Bombay.
Simla July 6th
The following troops are warned for full service, 1st Bat Manchester Regiment, 72nd Highlanders and 1st, 7th, 20th, and 45th Regiments of the Bengal Infantry, 13th Bengal Lancers, 1st, 8th, 13th, 9th, 5th and 11th Batteries of the Royal Artillery, 2 companies of Bengal Sappers and miners.
Bombay supplies 2 regiments of native Infantry, Madras, 2 companys of sappers and miners and 3 regiments of active infantry, 2 of the latter remaining as reserve for Aden. Total strength 7,000 men.
Sir Herbert MC PHERSON will have chief command and General R. HUGHES and Col O. V. TANNER will each command a brigade.
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