Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/293

BY TUE ALLIED FLEET, 2G3 that the counsels uf Lyons, at this time, chap were conducing to the course which Lord Ifag- L_ Ian took, and to the naval operation v.hich re- sulted. The time I now speak of is the second week in the mouth of October. Lyons tlieu, with the Agamenmon, was on duty at Balaclava. As might be expected, he was much with Lord Kaglan, and the intercourse between the two was most cordial. By his exceeding zeal for the cause, Lyons had wrought Inmself into a high state of vehemence ; and he had not yet cleared his mind (as he did a day or two afterwards) by comparing his idea of what the navy could do agaiust Sebas- topol, with that entertained in the , tleet. Now, considering the cordial terms on which Lord Eaglan was associated with Lyons, and the course which duty and common-sense would naturally enjoin, it may be regarded as certain that the appeal which Lord Eaglan was about to address to Dundas must have been made after free con- sultation with Lyons. It is not less certain that, if Lyons at this time had gained that greater clearness of view which he deri'ed on the follow- ing Monday from his intercourse M'ith the ships' captains, his counsels would have been of much greater worth to Lord Eaglan ; and in that case also, it may, 1 think, be inferred that Lord Eaglan's appeal to Dundas would either have been withheld altogether, or else would have been made in terms less cogent, and leaving more room for the free deliberation of the naval Com-