Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/341

 ACROSS THE BLACK SEA. 311 invasion of a Russian province at a distance of chap. 3000 miles, would, sooner or later, be checked '__ in their project by the generals commanding the forces ; and, of course, they would have liked that the disfavour which unjustly attaches to military prudence should fall upon the English General rather than upon themselves or their own commander. But in the course of the 7th of September it became known to them that Lord Eaglan was already at sea. They then knew, or rather they then recognised the fact, that the whole armada was really gliding on towards the enemy's coast, and the ferment their minds under- went now brought them to take a strange step. Lord Raglan was on board the Caradoc ; and on the 8th of September, whilst the fleets lay near to one another, this vessel was boarded by Vice-Admiral Dundas. He came to say that a French steamer had conveyed to him the desire of the Marshal St Arnaud to see Lord Raglan and the Vice-Admiral Dundas, and to see them on board the Ville de Paris, because the Marshal himself was too ill to be able to move. It hap- pened that the sea at this time was rough, and conference the naval men thought that it would be difficult vniede for Lord Raglan, with his one arm, to get up the side of the three-decker in which the Marshal was sailing ; Lord Raglan, therefore, deputed his military Secretary, Colonel Steele, to accompany Vice-Admiral Dundas on board the Ville de Paris. The Vice-Admiral and Colonel Steele found