Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/37

 STRENGTH OF ARMIES. 7 destined besides to ensure the willing aid of the chap. i Ottoman forces in the Crimea; for by use of his ' mighty ascendant at Constantinople, Lord Strat- ford would soon be restoring the good-humour of Omar Pasha, and inclining him to act in smooth and with concert with the English allies of the Sultan^ 1 ) Pasha. III. Exclusive of non-combatants, the forces that strength of might thus be expected to act together harmoni- ously in the south of the Crimea comprised (with the ' Corps of Reserve ' *) 100,000 French, 28,000 English, 15,000 Sardinians, and 45,000 Turks, making together 188,000 men.t To — not merely collect and despatch from afar, but to — throw forward into the presence of a distant enemy, and firmly establish in front of him 188,000 good troops, whilst also supporting this host by fleets of great strength that held absolute command of the seas, and could cover the landing of troops on any chosen part of the coast — this was bringing to bear on Sebastopol "" Which had partly come up from Constantinople, and would be all on the Chersonese within a few days. t Niel's calculation, given by Rousset, vol. ii. p. 190, but with a correction adding 3000 to his estimate of the English combative force. The 'Situation' of the French army (20th May 1855, Niel, App., p. 491), puts its gross numbers at 120,096, and shows a strength of 100,426 ' disponibles.' With their 'indis- ' puniblcs,' the French in round and gross numbers had 120,000, the English 32,000, the Sardinians 17,000, and the Turks, under Omar Pasha, 55,000 — making up altogether for the Allies a gross number of 224,000 men.