of the Emperor's project for operating from Kinburn by endeavouring to show it to be impracticable. He considered it necessary, in the interests of the alliance, that the French and English Armies should no longer operate together, and set forth a plan for retaining a proportion of the French Forces round Sebastopol, at Kinburn, and at Constantinople, and sending the rest back to France, while the English, with the Turks, should occupy Kertch, and operate in Circassia towards Tiflis. France would thus be ready to meet a possible endeavour of Russia to transfer the war to Germany at a time when the Crimea would otherwise still absorb the strength of the French Army. A little later he expressed himself still more strongly. " Thank God it is not difficulties which frighten me. The capture of Sebastopol — of which the chiefs of this Army, and others greater than they, were still doubtful on the 7th September — showed that- I could face dangers when I saw success beyond. But here the situation is not the same. I see the obstacles ; I do not perceive the success, nor even the hope of it. I should be perplexed to form a plan of campaign, still more to carry one out. ... If, then, the Allied Governments should decide on operations such as I have been discussing, I should* be obliged, to my eternal regret, to decline the honour of directing them."
No doubt Pelissier was one of the most resolute of commanders ; yet it may nevertheless be doubted whether he was not swayed by influences apart from his estimate of the military problems before him, and such as have weight with less resolute men. He had under-
296 Excellent State of the BritisJi Army.
gone a tremendous strain, such as might well diminish his ardour, while the conflict hung so long in the balance. He had at last achieved a triumph, all the more brilliant because of the failure of his allies. It might well seem to him that such further successes as were to be gained in this remote region could hardly exalt the fame of him or his Army. His officers were openly showing their desire to receive at home the compensations for all their trials which there awaited them — a desire which he may have shared more than he was conscious of, for he was growing old and heavy of frame. The notion of a campaign on the Rhine, a much more conspicuous and attractive theatre of war, was generally entertained in the army. French surgeons had prognosticated a decline in the health of the troops under existing conditions, and their apprehensions were even now beginning to be realised in a visitation of typhus. Above all, the French people were tired of the war, and ready to welcome back their army.
On the other hand, those responsible for the condition of the British army had turned the sharp lessons of the campaign to singularly good account. Our troops in the Crimea were now fed, housed, and clothed in the best way, and their health was as good as at a home station. The strength of the army was increasing every month. In November it numbered 5 1,000, of which 4000 cavalry and ninety-six guns, besides a Turkish legion, raised by the British Government, of 20,000, and a German legion of 10,000. Our Land Transport corps could speedily be made adequate to the needs of these
A Diplomatic Difficulty. 297
large forces in a campaign in the field. Our army medical system now so greatly surpassed that of the French that a commission was sent from Paris expressly to study it. The comparison between the two armies had become enormously in our favour. Our fleet, too, had been vastly augmented in force and efficiency. In these circumstances, it was natural that the British people should prefer another campaign to any treaty of peace which should fail to fulfil their just expectations.