Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/11

 OF Tins VOLUME. VU sternly, most cogently taught by our experience of the war against Russia. And, not taught, we can now say, in vain; since it happens that at this, the Lime chosen for once more printing a volume which tells of our old Winter Troubles, and the causes from which they had sprung, we are seeing full proof of the wholesomeness there is in such warnings, and are having indeed laid Ijefore us a sample (though only a small one) of the power that England can wield, when provided — after long years of struggle — with the mechanism of a ' real War Department,' when unhampered by any allies, when unhindered by stress of mixed counsels from striking a prompt, timely blow, or from pushing a victory home, when so ruling dispensers of ' news ' by the light yet firm hand of authority as to prevent their enlightening the enemy, and even make them help to deceive him. /v-fter happily finding in Wolseley the very com- mander she sought, and requiring but a few busy weeks for all the needful preparatives, England landed a competent force — a force complete in all arms — on the distant quays of Alexandria (already subdued by our fleet), then transferred it — as though by some magic — into even the sacred dominions of Monsieur dc Lesseps, brought thither to meet it another splendid body of troops from the Indian side of her empire, and then — with some little, but not exces- sive delay — collected means of enabling the thus gathered army to move.