Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/108

64 THE WINTER TROUBLES. CHAP. ' which is almost sufficiently shown by uttering • ' the mere name of Wellington.' The air of argumentative cogency which such a challenge puts on is thoroughly English in character, and must not he read as indicative of any great logical strength ; for, because a strong man finds means to accomplish his task, it does not of course therefore follow with absolute certainty that the tools he made use of were good. Even during those years — the latter years of the war — in which England was gaining a decisive ascendant, and marching towards final victory, her War administration, though improved, and improving, was still far from adequate, and only at best such a makeshift as by strong, compelling hands could be brought to answer the purpose. It was not by the excellence of her official machinery, but rather in spite of its weakness, and by resorting to other means vastly greater in power, that she really achieved her end. However, towards answering the question, and beginning to show how it was that England after 1809 proved able to achieve what she did in the great war with France, we may first per- haps speak of the immensely long time she had spent — scarce less than seventeen years — in ])reparing and maturing her strength ; for whilst llightily sending out ' expeditions ' to combat on many a shore, our people were also recruiting, were drilling, were arming at home, — were try- ing, by such means as they knew of, to provide