Page:The Next Naval War - Eardley-Wilmot - 1894.djvu/74

 pass through a fiery ordeal of trouble before the good qualities of the nation asserted themselves, and the bulk of the population rallied to the side of law and order.

Our disasters were not limited to home waters. An expedition from Brest, which left the day after war was declared, captured Dominica and St. Lucia in the West Indies before we had time to strengthen our squadron in that part.

The Mediterranean being now abandoned by the British flag, and it being evident that for a month or two we could not appear there in force, an army was embarked at Marseilles and landing in Aboukir Bay under cover of the fleet, had no difficulty in overcoming the resistance of the English force of occupation, hampered as it was by the hardly concealed hostility of the native officials.

In less than a month our boasted naval supremacy was in jeopardy, and Russia now seized the opportunity to demand an unrestricted right of way from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean. Turkey protested, but could get no promise of support from the other Powers. An unfortunate mistake in one of the forts of the Bosphorus firing upon a Russian vessel proceeding to Constantinople with despatches, gave the pretext needed.

Disclaiming all intention of deposing the Sultan from his capital, but asserting that the channel must be rendered secure, Russia embarked a force of 20,000 troops at Sebastopol and Odessa. For