Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/292

262 TlIK PAKT TO BE TAKEN CHAP, and Admiral Dundas did harm to the public ^^- service. The differences existing between them had been closed, it is true, iu a measure, by the reconciliation effected in the previous month, and thenceforth the written correspondence of the two chiefs with each other was conducted in the Avay that is usual with men who are personally acquainted : but still Dundas never used to come to Headquarters ; and Lord Eaglan, as might be supposed, did not quit his duties on shore to go on board the flag -ship. From this separation, so far as I know, no evil had hitherto resulted, for Lyons, as the commander of the in-shore squadron, was ever at hand — ever burning with zeal to bring to the aid of the land forces the resources of the fleet ; but now that the duty of landing troops and supplies, and tending the march of the armies, was to be followed by that of determining whether the fleets should take part with the land forces in one great attack upon Sebastopol, much advantage would have been likely to result from a close and free inter- course between Lord Eaglan and Dundas. Li- deed no one, I think, well acquainted with the qualities of the two commanders, would easily believe that, after conversing freely upon such a question, they would have been likely to come to any other than a sound conclusion. This, however, was not to be ; and I cannot think that the absence of Dundas from the English Headquarters was effectually supplied by Lyons. Nay, it rather will be inferred