▁mess enger ▁was ▁sent ▁with ▁an ▁offer ▁of ▁capit ulation ▁that ▁was ▁accepted ▁by ▁the ▁city ▁authorities . ▁Sir ▁John ▁Thomas ▁D uck worth ▁appeared ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁March , ▁off ▁Alexand ria ▁in ▁his ▁flags hip ▁, ▁with ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁his ▁squad ron , ▁further ▁bol ster ing ▁the ▁confidence ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁troops . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁occupation ▁of ▁the ▁city , ▁F ras er ▁and ▁his ▁staff ▁first ▁heard ▁of ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁Muhammad ▁Bey ▁al - Al fi , ▁upon ▁whose ▁co - operation ▁they ▁had ▁founded ▁their ▁hopes ▁of ▁further ▁success ; ▁and ▁mess engers ▁were ▁immediately ▁des patch ed ▁to ▁his ▁successor ▁and ▁other ▁local ▁Be ys , ▁inv iting ▁them ▁to ▁Alexand ria . ▁The ▁British ▁Res ident , ▁Major ▁Miss ett , ▁with ▁support ▁from ▁D uck worth , ▁was ▁able ▁to ▁conv ince ▁General ▁Mack en zie - F ras er ▁of ▁the ▁importance ▁of ▁occup ying ▁Ros etta ▁( Res he e ' d ) ▁and ▁Rah man ie h ▁( Er - R ah h ma ' ne e ' ye h ) ▁to ▁secure ▁supplies ▁for ▁Alexand ria ▁because ▁they ▁controlled ▁the ▁canal , ▁by ▁which ▁supplies ▁were ▁brought ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁via ▁the ▁N ile . ▁ ▁Att empt s ▁to ▁supply ▁the ▁expedition ▁▁ 1 5 0 0 ▁troops ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 1 st ▁Foot ▁and ▁the ▁Ch asse urs ▁Britann iques ▁were ▁det ached , ▁accompanied ▁by ▁a ▁section ▁of ▁Royal ▁Art illery , ▁under