Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/297

 FOR THE INVASION. 267 and England were under two commanders; and, chap. . . XVI besides, since the expedition was dependent upon !_ naval co-operation, the Admirals of the two fleets tions't!fndi"ng would necessarily be taken into council. It is thii"strm- true that the French Admiral was under the ^^"''^' orders of Marshal St Arnaud, but there was no corresponding arrangement in regard to the English services, and our Admiral's command was independent of the General commanding the land-forces. Thus it seemed to the Home Government that the question, if left to be decided on the shores of the Black Sea, would have to be weighed, not by one commander, but by a council of at least four, and to be actually decided by a council of not less than three ; and it could scarcely be expected that such a body, deliberating freely, would come to that vigorous decision which might easily perhaps be attained by any one of them singly. On the other hand the two Govern- ments were perfectly agreed. Upon the whole, therefore, there was some ground for resolving to transmit to the camps at Varna the benefit of that concord which reigned between Paris and London, and to subject the Generals and Admirals to the overruling judgment of the authorities at home. Again, the chief reason which makes it unwise to fetter the discretion of Generals— namely, the superior knowledge which they are supposed to have of the enemy's strength and of the field of operations — was in this instance wanting ; for the