A Further Question — Views of the Emperor and His Generals — Operations at Eupatoria and Kinburn — Destruction of the Docks — The Government's Wish to push on— Vaillant's Views — Pelissier's Views — Excellent State of the British Army — A Diplomatic Difficulty — The Emperor and the Queen — New Proposal of Russia — Good Faith of Louis Napoleon — The Treaty of Peace — Strength of the British Army — The Results of the War — Russia repudiates the Treaty later — England retains Interest in the Crimea — The Graves of the Crimea — All that remains of the War.
MASTERS of the smoking ruins, and thus far relieved from a huge difficulty, the Allies did not yet see clearly the way before them. The Russian army, now become, by its close connection with the Inkerman heights, altogether a field army, defied them from beyond the harbour ; and although the objects with which the war had been undertaken were accomplished, yet the fact that the enemy still held the field could not be ignored. The question, What was to be done next ? was taken up and dealt with by Louis Napoleon himself. " The Emperor wants to know your projects," Vaillant telegraphed to Pelissier ; " he hopes you will not run your head against the fortified Mackenzie position, but will manoeuvre like a skilful general." Next day Louis Napoleon, in a letter to his Minister in London, set forth his views. He wished to turn the month of October to
290 Views of the Emperor and His Generals.
account by a forward movement of the army, its right wing in advance, so as to force the Russians to abandon their positions near Sebastopol by threatening their communications. He went on to observe, that when the Allies should be thus masters of the Crimea, they would occupy themselves with filling in the trenches, repairing the land defences, taking care of the docks and barracks, and re-establishing the harbour as a port. They would then abandon the Crimea, keeping Sebastopol only, and leaving there a garrison and a fleet. They would thus hold an important gage, until Russia, who could not hope to retake the fortress, should consent to treat ; and, instead of further destruction, they should repair the establishments of the town as much as possible, in order to have something of value to offer. He also wrote to Pelissier, urging him to use the .last of the fine weather in an advance upon Simpheropol, which the reinforcement of the Russian Army would render impossible next year. Niel took the same view. But Pelissier was not to be persuaded to abandon his own opinions. " I have been using my troops to feel for a way of advancing on my right. The Russians keep their positions behind the rocky heights, which extend from Inkerman beyond Simpheropol ; they have garnished the gaps in them with artillery, and made them more difficult to force than the ramparts of Sebastopol. In engaging there in bloody combats, producing no results, we might throw away the good position we have gained. But I will attack if you give the order." To appear, however, to comply with the desire for action, so far as he deemed