COMMENCED EXPEDITION TO KERTCH. 265 that by what was described as 'an important chap. ' telegraphic despatch ' newly come in from Paris he had received — not authority merely, but — vi a s?t toLord positive orders to ' bring up at once the army of a ™wtdL ' Eeserve from Constantinople, and for that pur- giam " ' pose to send down without loss of time every ' ship he could place his hands upon to the Bos- ' phorus — to detach as soon as these new troops ' should arrive a division to be landed at Aloushta, ' and moved from thence to the head of a defile ' leading to Simferopol, and thus threaten that ' town — to march a large body by Baidar towards ' Baktchi Serai, and a third column by Tractir ' to the attack of Mackenzie's Heights, and, to ' enable him to make these movements in suffi- ' cient force, to bring half of Omar Pasha's army ' to this position from Eupatoria.' * This was ordering the subservient, yet pain- fully anxious Canrobert to go at once into a fit of strategic hysterics, and in that weakly violent state — after first too approaching Lord Eaglan ! — begin a campaign against Russia. In the frenzy thus enjoined upon Canrobert, he was to become amongst other things a general- issimo — was to ' march ' Lord Raglan with the English army against the enemy in the field, and to ' bring ' Omar Pasha's army from Eupatoria ! With a smile, I am sure, in his mind, though Discusskn not perhaps on his lips, Lord Raglan told Can- two com- liii i i • manders: robert that the plan ' appeared very complicated.'
- Lord Raglan to Sir Edmund Lyons, 4th May 1855, £ to
3 A.M.
