of which might be seen numerous mosques and large houses, and the ruins of older buildings. It soon became evident that the position held by the British force on the Ridge was a false one; and the question arose whether the city might not be taken by a coup de main, seeing that it was impossible either to invest it or to attempt a regular siege with any chance of success. A plan of assault, to be carried out on the 12th of June, was drawn up by a young Engineer officer and sanctioned. Had this assault been delivered the city would in all likelihood have been taken and held. For there were not more than about 7000 Sepoys within the walls, while the available British troops numbered 2000; and since the numerical discrepancy between the contending forces was no less in proportion when the stronghold was finally captured, we may not unfairly assume that the columns detailed for the contemplated operations of the 12th of June might have succeeded as well as those which made the actual assault three months later. But owing to a series of accidents, the plan fell through — a miscarriage the more to be regretted because the early recapture of the city would in all human probability have put a stop to further outbreaks.
As matters stood, however, the gallant little force before Delhi could barely hold its own. It was an army of observation perpetually harassed by an active enemy. As time went on, therefore, the question of raising the siege in favour of a movement towards
