Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol 7.djvu/238

19-i THE WINTER TROUBLES. CHAP strife with the enemy, luit a yet harder strife L_ with the elements. For each of those steps taken singly there was ready, of course, at the time some reason fatally specious, yet by all of them taken together, the Allies brought them- selves to commit an enormous abdication of power, and condemned their suffering armies to the misery of this winter campaign. In war, as all know, dire predicaments result oftentimes from defeat ; but here, strange to say, it was by the joyous path of victory that the Allies went and placed themselves in that state of duress which forced them to meet the winter on a high, barren promontory, without even a hope of their keeping themselves alive unless by means brought them in ships from many and (iistiiiit shores.