Page:The Next Naval War - Eardley-Wilmot - 1894.djvu/78

 of a second squadron of twenty ships early in the war would have turned the scale.

While thus about to make a great effort, the three central Powers interposed with an offer to negotiate, plainly intimating that they were not disposed to allow the struggle to continue, and remain as spectators. An armistice of three months was agreed to, which led to peace being arranged by a congress at Vienna.

We consented to place Egypt under international control, and some other minor points were conceded. The Russian frontier in Asia was extended to Sinope, while the fortifications of the Dardanelles were demolished, and the waterway neutralised. It was henceforth to be free to all shipping.

After all, these were trivial matters compared with what we had suffered in one month from our want of organisation and preparation. A battle may be lost without disgrace, and though we had to mourn many gallant sailors, it is what war inevitably brings. It was galling to the national pride, which, if it believed in anything, believed in the invincibility of the British Navy, to find that we had no monopoly of able officers and seamen. But the feeling produced by such thoughts disappears in the determination to improve. What could not be mended was the check our boasted commerce had received. At one time our carrying trade was almost entirely stopped, the rates of insurance having increased so alarmingly. Many