Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/156

 112 THE WINTER TKOUBLES. CHAP, of the 13tli September was not keenly, not '_ anxiously worded ; and besides, the Board thought that several cargoes of hay which, although countermanded, had still been sent out in August, would substantially meet by anticipa- tion a part of Mr Filder's demand.(^^) Upon the whole, it will perhaps be conceded that, if the Treasury on the oOth of September had been considering whether it should originate the expedient of sending out to the Crimea large quantities of hay, there were reasons abundant and good for declining to take the step ; but be- tween the idea of abstaining from the initiation of such a measure and that of venturing to resist the appeal of the Commissary-General, there lay of course a great gulf. As a circumstance -which perhaps may be thought to have warranted a pause of some days, it should be understood that in point of compar- ative acquaintance with the progress of the cam- paign, the Treasury when receiving the despatch was ahead of Mr Filder when writing it by seven eventful days. For on the 13th of Sep- tember, the Allied armies were hovering indeed on the shores of the Crimea but still on board ship, and to the Commissary-General, then penning his missive, the even immediate future was of necessity dim; whereas on the 30th, when the Treasury received the despatch, they well knew that the invaders had prosperously effected their landing, and that the Crimea was rich in forage ; but, moreover, they already had heard what, the same day, was proved to be true — that is, that