Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/85

 ENGLISH WAH ADMINISTRATION. 41 Aduiiralty, however, a change in the opposite ^'.'In- direction was effected; for there, the suh-depart- '— nient transacting the business of sea-transport was re-elevated into a ' IJoard ' with the degree of autonomy which had belonged to a similar dependency of the Admiralty in former times. (^'') It seems right to mention these changes, but they did not alter our system in time for ' the ' winter troubles.' And, whilst making these organic changes, men omitted to effect some practical improve- ments which in reality were mucli more imper- atively needed. Thus, for instance, although requisitions demanding means of sea-transport flooded heavily down upon the Admiralty from seven distinct sources, no one seems to have perceived the expediency of collating these applications in the War Department, with the object of there determining their comparative urgency ; and the consequence was, that sup- plies of the kind most imperatively needed by the army might be awaiting the result of Cap- tain Milne's ceaseless endeavours to charter fresh vessels, whilst other stores not so much wanted were about to be shipped forthwith on board vessels already engaged.(^^) V. The «ay It seems fitting to know how the offiees dis- inwiiiyi' ^ the oHice-s parsed over London and Westminster endeav- s<..ightto •t Iierform the oured to work out between them the tasks of tasks of w^i auimnistra- a real War Department. Towards performing tion: