Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/490

 4 GO APPENDIX. on the same day : ' The enemy have taken advantage of ' the time that has ehipsed since they discovered our in- ' tention of attacking the South Side of Sebastopol to the nature of the defences which the enemy had thus been preparing under the eyes of their invaders, he goes on to say : * These formidable preparations make the approach to ' the place extremely difficult, and without cover an advance ' upon it is next to impossible.' t And in yet another letter on the same day, he spoke of the undertaking to sub- due the enemy's fire as ' an almost hopeless task, consider- ' them since they saw the necessity of strengthening the Now a mere disputer, no doubt, may well enough fence and say that these despatches and letters yield no actual proof of the opinion Lord Raglan had formed upon the question of giving the enemy time instead of assaulting at once ; but those who have an eye for the truth will incline, perhaps, to believe that he who could thus be insisting, and insisting again, on the strength which the enemy had gained from the respite accorded him, must needs have been one who, having perceived the peril of delay whilst yet there was time to avoid it, had formed, from the first, an opinion that the place should be promptly assaulted. And this, as has been seen in the text, is the opinion as- cribed to Lord Eaglan by the two men Avho enjoyed his most intimate confidence — that is, by Sir Edmund Lyons and General Airey. + Private letter from Lord Raglan to the Duke of Newcastle, Oct. 8, 1354.
 * e.staljlirilied with the heaviest artilleiy.' * And yet again,
 * strengthen the whole front ; ' and then, after describing
 * ing the number, weight, and metal of the guns they have
 * in position, and the cover they have been able to give
 * South Side of Sebastopol.' ;}:
 * The same to the same, Oct. 8. 1 854.
 * The same to the same of the same date, but written later, and headed
 * most confidential.'