Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 4.djvu/440

CHAP. XIII. 410 THE CANNONADE OF The pressure to which the English Admiral was subjected might have been resisted by a man who had gained a great naval victory. It could not be resisted by one who had acceded to com- mand by paths of peace and pleasantness; and Dundas had so much modesty and clearness of perception that he never confounded his nominal with his real authority. On public grounds, and apart from selfish desires, he used to lament that he was without the kind of ascendant which is earned by warlike achievements. Those who were the most anxious to support their chief in the maintenance of his own opinion were obliged to acknowledge, when they knew how the stress was applied, that no freedom of choice remained to him. One of our ship's captains,* perceiving, as he thought, that his chief was wrongfully obstructed in following the guidance of his own judgment, took upon himself in the intimacy of private friendship to deprecate undue concession in naval affairs to the opinions of other men. Thereupon Dundas laid his hand on the shoulder of the officer who so counselled, took him aside, placed a paper in his hand, and, requesting him first to read it and afterwards give his opinion, re- newed the occupation in which he had been before engaged. The letter was that appeal which had been made to Dundas on the 13th of October. -f When the officer had read through the paper, he • Captain (now Admiral) Carnegie, the commander of the Tribune. t See ante, p. 2G4.