artillery, were not hopeful for the ships. If such an attack were pushed home by them, no limit could be placed to the damage they might suffer. The chances of being riddled, sunk, set on fire by shell or hot shot, ruined as steamers, and disabled by damage to structure or by loss of men, were absolutely indefinite. On the other hand, the probability of ruining the walls of the forts might to some considerable extent be calculated beforehand, and was not promising. Only a very close fire could accomplish this, and that could not but mean unknown damage to the ships. Nevertheless, it might well be worth while to run great risks if the success ol the assault could be clearly seen to be thereby assured. But it is impossible to gather from the language of the generals what it was they expected from the co-operation of the fleets. " If," says Lord Raglan to Admiral Dundas, " the enemy's attention can be occupied on the sea front as well as upon that of the land, there will be a much greater chance of making a serious impression upon their works of defence, and of throwing the garrison into confusion." Again : " Their (the fleets') presence would go far to make all feel that victory would be nearly a matter of certainty," and the Allied generals had, as we have seen, talked of " moral and material effects " to be produced by combined action, which must insure the success of the attack. But this brings us, and could have brought the admirals, no nearer to the actual results to be expected. The only way in which the assault could be facilitated would be by causing the withdrawal of Russian troops from the
Risk to no Purpose. 101
threatened land fronts. But troops could be of no use against an attack by ships upon sea-forts, and no such withdrawal would have taken place. It may be said that the gunners would thus be detained in the sea-forts who might otherwise have reinforced those employed on the land batteries. But that might have been effected equally well only by the menace of a naval attack. Thus the naval commanders must have been, and were, conscious that their fleets were about to run a great risk for no definite end, and with the likelihood of being compelled to appear to suffer defeat.
Kinglake, who knew both Dundas and Lord Raglan, and who was then in the Crimea, thinks they might have come to a more satisfactory conclusion in a personal interview. But they were not on cordial terms, and had not met for some time. On the other hand, Sir Edmund Lyons, the second in command in the fleet, was in constant communication with the General. We have seen that he offered advice both as to the expediency of attacking the north side, and of an immediate assault after the flank march ; it was owing to his counsel that we took Balaklava for a base ; and now it was he who urged that the fleets should join in the attack. It was very unfortunate that he enjoyed such credit with Lord Raglan as to be listened to even when giving opinions about the operations of the armies, concerning which Lord Raglan had legitimate advisers at hand. He was always in favour of unhesitating and adventurous action, a course to which he may have been inclined, more than he was conscious of, by a^chance
102 Positions of the Fleets.
similarity of person to the commander whose whole life was an example of valorous resolve. He was very like Nelson, and was naturally proud of the resemblance, though Nelson was no beauty, and may have secretly felt that a conformity in spirit also would be becoming. In these earlier stages of the war, his rash desire to do something effective rendered him Lord Raglan's evil genius, and how rash his impulses could be was shown a little later v/hen he succeeded Dundas in the command of the fleet ; for he who now so hotly urged a naval attack never made the slightest attempt on Sebastopol when he had become responsible for such an action, and had found by experience how fruitless it would be. Dundas must have felt himself placed at a great disadvantage with such an associate, as any commander must feel in having a too self-assertive subordinate, who wants to take the lead, and who fancies he has a popular repute to maintain.