Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/447

 APPENDIX. 417 THIRD LETTER.* Capiain Mends to Mr Kinglake. Blooufielu Crescent, Harrow Road, W., 5th April, 1863. SiE, — In reply to your communication of the 4th instant enclosing an extract from Lord Raglan's private letter to the Secretary of War, which relates to the alfair of the ' buoy,' I have the honour to acquaint you that, since writ- ing my letter to the * Times ' of the 18th ult., I have heard nothing which is calculated to modify the impression under which I wrote it ; for though it toould seem there was a buoy, and though I differ from Lord Eaglan, whose memory I so highly respect, I aver that not the slightest inconvenience, confusion, nor delay, was occasioned to the disembarkation of the British by any act of the French, I never heard of the buoy until I saw your book ; and 1 feel satisfied that were Sir Edmund Lyons alive, he would be one of the lirst to do justice to the chivalrous conduct of his colleague. Admiral Bruat, whose heart and soul were in the success of the undertaking, and whose example was cordially followed by every officer under his command; that in my opinion, luherever the buoy loas placed, none but the most upright motives prompted the act, and the most sound practical reasons warranted the selection of the spot. I have the honour to be. Sir, your obedient humble servant. (Signed) W. R. MENDS. A. W. KlNQLAKE, Esq., jM.P., &C. &C. &C. — Note to ith Edition. with the original, and found to be strictly correct. In the original, the words ' by any act of the French ' ai'o vuiderseorcd. VOL. II. - i>
 * It seems right to say that this copy has been carefully compared