Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 8.djvu/394

 362 APPENDIX. Note 13. — Spreading system of countermines. — In anticipation of what the French might attempt underground, the Russians began countermining in the beginning of November ; but it was only at the close of the month (when they had had time to draw the inference stated in the text) that their system of countermines began to assume 'vast' proportions. — Todleben, p. 596. Note 14. — Unleashed a camouflet. — For want of any true English word sufficing to express what is meant, the word 'camouflet' — the war-miner's 'whiff' — has been received into the vocabulary of our military engineers. It means an explosion which the miner or counterminer drives into his antagonist's galleries without disturbing the surface of the ground above. Note 15. — The intervening Mamelon. — The English began their new (8-gun) battery No. 9 (the 'King Battery') on the 13th of February (Royal Engineers, Part II., p. 34) ; and soon after- wards received admirably efficient aid from the French, who also at about the same time, if not earlier, began toiling at the 15-gun battery No. 1 (the ' Artilleur Battery') which was to be con- structed on a western slope of Mount Inkerman. Note 16. — Did the work. — After showing how the French entered upon the work, the Official Journal of the Royal En- gineers says : ' The order, silence, and regularity with which ' the work was conducted under the superintendence of a cap- ' tain of the French Engineers was very remarkable.' — Journal of Royal Engineers, Part II., p. 34. Note 17. — Destroying the Inkerman Bridge. — Niul, p. 104. This act of Mentschikoff's was not one that relieved the Allies from any apprehension they might have of another 'Inkerman'; for the bridge (as was proved on the morning of the great battle) could be restored in a few hours. NOTES TO CHAPTER IV. Note 1. — With their blows. — Todleben did not consider that the artillery of the enceinte defending the Faubourg could use- fully interpose ; and the fire from that quarter — more dangerous perhaps to the Russians than to the French — took place without his sanction. The ships were to fire, but only up the ravine ; so that, if the French, inclining towards their right, should dip down into St (George's Ravine, they might incur fire, whilst the