Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 9.djvu/79

THE RENEWED EXPEDITION TO KERTCH. 49 must not be here screened from the light. The chap. invasion gave rise to disorder, and disorder was '. — followed by crime. For this the Allies, as I think, became justly open to censure, and the subject, though painful, is one that must not be shunned. We cannot excuse the Allies by alleging that stir of the blood which comes with the clash of arms ; for, whether in the process of landing, or in taking their rest on the shore, or in afterwards pursuing their march, the invaders from the first to the last encountered no sort of resistance ; nor again can our country at once deliver herself from the charge by saying (as with truth she could say) that few, very few of our people were guilty of disorderly acts, and none of violent outrage ; for he who commanded the troops of the three invading nations was an Englishman, and accord- ingly England stands challenged to answer the question which asks how the conquerors wielded their power. In fairness towards the memory of Sir George The limited . . . . . authority ol Brown, it must always be borne in mind that of sir George the 15,000 men he commanded 3000 only were English, the rest consisting of French to the number of 7000, and of 5000 Turks ; that except by making representations to General d'Aute- marre he could not interfere with the discipline of the French troops ; that, when busied in mis- chief, the soldiery of our excited Allies could be hardly restrained by their officers ; and finally, that the traditions and instincts of the Frenchmen, the VOL. IX. D