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 DIVIDING THE ENGLISH AEMY. 293 the English Commander to think or hope for a chap. moment that the French (as enjoined by the . plan) would really takv charge of his siege- works. The refusal of Canrobert and of Omar Pasha to Rejection take charge of the English trenches was substan- tially of course a rejection of the Emperor's pro- ject, and besides of that modified plan into which Lord Raglan had changed it. In this Conference of the 14th of May, it so An anomaly, happened — at first sight anomalously — that Lord Eaglan — by concessions — was able to approach at some points towards the wishes of Louis Napo- leon ; * and that he who delivered the blow which destroyed the Emperor's plan was — of all men ! — General Canrobert. "When Canrobert reported these transactions to canrobert's the Minister of War, he disclosed an idea that the English . . army might Lord Eaglan might have divided his force into be split into 00 . two. two distinct armies, leaving one in front of Se- bastopol and with the other (supported by the Piedmontese contingent) undertaking to act in the field.( 2 ) To go and thus split up a body of some 25,000 English troops into two little far- sundered armies — dividing the diamond into halves ! — would have been contrary to all policy, to all common-sense, and, one may add, to the dominant conception of the Emperor, who had not only made it a chief feature of his plan to keep the English army entire, but taken pains taking to operate against the Mackenzie Heights.
 * By assenting to an attack from the south, and by under-