Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/321

 THE UEMEANOUK OF ENGLAND. 277 ' private letters, you condemn Generals Airey chap ' and Estcourt, and the Staff generally, and this L_ ' desire to have my opinion of theii" qualifications ' sant with public business nearly half a century, ' and I have never yet known an instance of ' such condemnation before. The officers above- ' named are perfectly efficient. I am witness to ' their daily labours, their constant toil, and I can ' with truth say that they merit the tribute of my ' warmest approbation. General Airey, whose ' duties cover a wider surface and are more con- ' tinuously in operation than those of his col- ' league, is a very able man, and particularly ' the post he occupies, and I consider myself ' most fortunate in having him in the situation ' of Quartermaster-General. Am I, or are the ' writers of private letters in the better position ' to pronoance upon his merits ? . . . You ' regard your adoption of the imputations against ' these officers ' [the officers of the Headquarter Staff generally] ' as an indirect reflection on my- ' the chief of whom receive their orders from ' me.'(^^) ' I cannot say how all these attacks ' [attacks on his Staff] ' annoy me, and add to my anxieties. ' and those are far from being few.
 * without reference to me, or the expression of a
 * or imputed deficiencies. I have been conver-
 * qualified, according to my humble judgment, for
 * must pardon me for adding that I can only
 * self, and an indication that you consider me
 * incapable of judging of departmental officers,
 * The reflections which that despatcli contains