Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
There are places in the world that are significant at very different points in history. Alexandria
is one of them. Founded by Alexander the Great, it became one of the foremost cities of the
Classical world, with its famed library as a treasure-house of knowledge. Centuries later, this
area was the scene of major land and sea battles during the French Revolutionary Wars. The
sites of many of these are recorded on this overview chart of British operations between 1798
and 1801. It was made, however, in the initial stages of a diplomatic crisis 40 years later,
which would result in action by the Royal Navy off these shores once again. Despite the im-
mediate purpose of the chart, it was drawn in a way that makes evident all these layers of
history.
Only the right-hand side of a much longer chart is illustrated here, with Alexandria just
off the left-hand edge. A French fleet landed to the west of the city in May 1798 to invade
Egypt, as the first step in Napoleon's plan to force the British out of the war with France,
by a campaign against India. At the far right is shown the Battle of the Nile. A line of ships
represents the French fleet in formation, as encountered by Nelson's fleet on 1 August 1798
('1898' on the chart is an error). Dotted lines show how the British ships trapped the French
in a pincer movement. The French flagship
Orient
in the centre of line was 'blown up' - this
was the famous 'burning deck' on which the young son of Captain Casabianca stood firm,
until flames caused the ship's ammunition to explode.
The dates on the chart then move on to March 1801, and the scene in the middle of the
top sheet, where a note reads 'British Landing … led on by [Sir Ralph] Abercromby'. A task
force of about 17,000 British soldiers were ordered to dislodge the French army, which had
remained in Egypt under Napoleon after their fleet's destruction. Fierce action took place in
this area of sand dunes and palm trees. At the far left of the lower sheet, crossed swords next
to the ruins of Caesar's Camp mark the 'Defeat of the French'.
The chart is dated 30 January 1840. It was sent to the Foreign Office that April in a secret
letter from the British Ambassador to Vienna. There, discussions were being held about the
'Oriental Crisis', caused by the Ottoman viceroy in Egypt, who sought to rule in his own
right. Britain, in alliance with the Austrian Empire and other European powers, decided to
support the Ottoman Empire against him. The far left of the chart (not shown here) bears
notes on Alexandria's defences, detailed in an accompanying report recommending how best
to attack them. These papers were forwarded to the Admiralty to assist in planning the new
campaign - informed by the lessons of the past.
