In spite of the heavy fire from the three great ships, the Egyptian soldiers maintained their fire, the officers frequently exposing themselves to the bullets of the machine guns by leaping upon the parapet, to ascertain the effect of their own shot.
The harbour forts were, by this time, crumbling under the shot of four warships opposed to them.

The Pharos suffered most heavily, and its guns were absolutely silenced; while the fire from the other two forts slackened, considerably.

At half-past ten, it was seen that the Ras-el-Teen Palace, which lay behind the fort, was on fire; and, half an hour later, the fire from that fort and Fort Ada almost died out.
The British Admiral now gave the signal to cease firing, and as the smoke cleared away, the effects of the five hours' bombardment were visible.

The forts and batteries were mere heaps of ruins.

The guns could be made out, lying dismounted, or standing with their muzzles pointing upwards.
The ships had not come out scatheless, but their injuries were, for the most part, immaterial; although rigging had been cut away, bulwarks smashed, and sides dinted.