Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 3.djvu/400

 374 PLA.N OF ATTACKING THE NORTH SIDK. CHAP, been so far set at nouglit that, in despite of it, the .. ..i Allies had both landed and established themselves in the country, it was hardly perhaps opportune to revive the objection at a time when the in- vaders had made good their footing in the penin- sula by a decisive victory. The Allies did well to regard the want of a harbour as a grave evil ; but apparently their most prudent mode of allow- ing this care to weigh upon their counsels would have been by treating it as a motive for shorten- ing to the utmost the anxious interval, and deter- mining — ay, even, if need be, at a painful cost of life — to carry the works of the Severnaya with a peremptory despatch, whilst yet by title of victory they seemed to have might on their side. So inextricably were the Allies engaged in the ex- pedition, and so deeply were they conmiitted in the face of Europe to the duty of achieving their end, that, whatever may have been their wisdom originally in resolving to touch the Crimea, the driest prudence now seemed to command that they should follow up the victory with swiftness, and always in that venturesome temper which was the only one fitted to their enterprise. For refuge as well as for glory they needed the port of Sebastopol. Sir John The plan of going straight on to attack the tirc'^|?eltf Star Fort found its greatest and most gifted opponent in Sir John Burgoyne ; and if it be asked how he brought himself to think the- obstruction so formidable, the explanation is this : — Instead of regarding the Fort as a work oiii)onent.