On the 22nd July the Khedive dismissed Arabi Pasha from his post of Minister of War. Arabi Pasha was now at Kafr Dowar with 5000 to 30,000 men. A battalion of British troops sailed from Bombay.
On the 24th July Mr. Gladstone informed Parliament that the country was "not at war." On the same day the British troops occupied Ramleh, a suburb of Alexandria.
At this time Captain Fisher fitted out the armoured train.
On the 30th July the Scots Guards sailed for Alexandria. From the beginning to end of the war, there were dispatched, or under orders, from Great Britain and Mediterranean stations, 1290 officers and 32,000 men. Add the Indian contingent, 170 officers, 7100 men, consisting of 1st Seaforths, 1st Manchester, 1 Bombay and 2 Bengal battalions Native Infantry, 3 regiments Bengal Cavalry, 1 field battery, 1 mountain battery, and a section of Madras Sappers and Miners. Add to these, 3500 followers, 1700 horses, 840 ponies, 5000 mules.
On the 1st August Lord Charles Beresford, having in the space of a fortnight saved the town of Alexandria from destruction and restored complete order, was relieved by Major Gordon.
On the 2nd August Admiral Sir William Hewett, with six vessels of war, occupied Suez.
On 3rd August the National Council declared its support of Arabi Pasha.
On 5th August General Alison attacked and defeated the enemy on the Mahmoudieh Canal.
On the 7th August the Khedive issued a proclamation directed against Arabi Pasha and rebellion.
On the 10th August Sir John Adye, chief of staff, with the Duke of Connaught, arrived at Alexandria.
On the 12th August the Brigade of Guards, the Duke of Connaught at their head, marched through Alexandria to Ramleh, greatly impressing the populace.
On the 15th, General Commanding-in-Chief Sir Garnet Wolseley and Major-General Sir Evelyn Wood arrived at Alexandria.
On the 18th August the greater part of the troops embarked for Port Said, the transports being escorted by five ironclads.
On the night of the 19th-20th August the Navy took entire possession of the Suez Canal. The _Monarch_ and _Iris_ took Port Said. The _Orion_, _Northumberland_, _Carysfort_ and _Coquette_ took Ismailia. Admiral Hewett had already seized Suez.
On the 20th of August the troops and warships from Alexandria arrived at Port Said, together with Admiral Sir Beauchamp Seymour in the _Helicon_. M. Ferdinand de Lesseps had done his utmost to prevent the seizure of the Canal, which, he insisted, was neutral. It is said that when the troops began to disembark at Ismailia, M. de Lesseps, erect upon the landing-place, announced that "no one should land except over his dead body"; to which defiance a bluejacket, gently urging aside the heroic engineer, replied, "We don't want any dead bodies about here, sir; all you've got to do is to step back a bit" (Royle, _Egyptian Campaigns_).