12G SECRET TERMS OF NIEL'S MISSION. chap, pearing disposed to put restraint on Canrobert's ' army, the new comer spoke as one urgent in the very opposite direction. In conversation with Lord Raglan he professed to maintain that 'a ' regular approach to the Tower of Malakoff 1 would inconveniently defer the attack of the ' place,' and caused his hearer to think he was ' evidently bent on an assault ! ' * Lord Raglan would scarce have complained, if frankly informed by Canrobert that the Empe- ror's new adviser disapproved the engagements of the 1st of January, and wished them to be all re- considered. But no such suggestion was made. With the aid of very recent disclosures we have been able indeed to perceive that by his disposi- tions of the 1st and 2d of February Niel was preparing — and covering — a retreat from the en- gagements made with Lord Raglan at the begin- ning of the previous month ; but our allies at the time gave no indication at all of any such pur- pose. Both Lord Raglan and Burgoyne were effectually led to believe that the French arrange- ments of the 1st and 2d of February had been honestly adopted in furtherance — though with varied appliances — of the stipulations made be- tween General Canrobert and General Airey on the opening day of the year. A day indeed was approaching when Lord Rag-
- Lord Raglan to Duke of Newcastle, Private Letter, Jan-
uary 29, 1855. Niel spoke mysteriously of 'other measures,' and we can now see that he was thinking of the proposed in- vestment, but he conveyed no such idea to Lord Raglan.
