Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 8.djvu/312

 280 RECALL OF T1IK KERTCH KXPEDITION. chap, taken, the French Emperor addressed a long letter to our Ambassador in Paris : — x. in explana- tinn, i the course lie had taken. 'Palais des Toileries, 7 Mai 1855. 'My dear Lord Cowley, — I request you to ' bring under the full consideration of the Eng- ' lish Government the bearing of the facts which ' I am going to state in a few words.' Then after citing four documents with which we are already acquainted,* the Emperor pro- ceeds : — ' You see then, Milord, that I have not counter- manded the Expedition to Kertch, but that in the opinion of Canrobert this expedition is in- compatible with the offensive movement against the Eussians, and in this alternative, hesitation is not possible, for Canrobert says himself that on the 24th the state of things was too strained to allow of its lasting more than fifteen days. Also under date of the 6th of May midnight I have received a despatch from Canrobert to this effect : — " The squadron has just returned ; I am " going to send all the disposable vessels to Con- " stantinople. Lord Raglan awaits instructions " from London for his concurrence in the field " operations." Thus, then, the vessels which were to have gone to Kertch are now engaged in going to fetch troops at Constantinople, and Kiel, the telegram from the Emperor personally of the 3d of May, and Canrobert's telegi-am to the Emperor of the 4th of May, mentioned ante, p. 278.
 * Viz., the letters of the 21th April from Canrobert and