262 ORDERS AND PREPARATIONS CHAP, 'or destruction of Sebastopol. The events which XVI ' have recently occurred, and which have become ' known to Her Majesty's Government by means ' of the telegraph from Belgrade, — the gallant and ' successful resistance of the Turkish army— the ' raising of the siege of Silistria — the retreat of ' the Eussian army across the Danube, and the ' anticipated evacuation of the Principalities, — ' have given a new character to the war, and will ' render it necessary for you without delay to con- ' cert measures with Marshal St Arnaud, and with ' Admirals Dundas and Hamelin, suited to the
- circumstances in which these events have placed
- the Allied forces.
' The safety of Constantinople from any inva-
- sion of the Russian army is now, for a time at
' least, secured ; and the advance of the English ' and French armies to Varna and Pravadi has ' succeeded in its object, without their being ' called upon to meet the enemy in action. ' Any further advance of the Allied armies
- should on no account be contemplated. To
' occupy the Dobrutscha would be productive ' of no beneficial results, and would be fatally ' prejudicial to the health of the troops ; and ' even if the Russian army should not recross the ' Pruth, but continue in the occupation of the ' Principalities, it is the decided opinion of Her ' Majesty's Government that, for the present at ' least, no measures should be taken by you to ' dislodge them. ' The circumstances anticipated in my despatch
