76 BATTLE OF THE ALMA. CHAP. At first, our batteries replied ; but after a while ' it bad been ascertained that the advantage the enemy had in his commanding ground was too great to be overcome, and the English artillery had ceased to fire. Lord Eaglan asked why this was : * I observe,' said he, ' the enemy's six-pound-
- ers amongst us ; why cannot we send our nine-
- pounders amongst them?' But he was told
that our fire had proved to be ineffectual, and that it was therefore discontinued. He seemed struck. Perhaps the answer which he had re- ceived became one of the grounds on which, a few minutes later, he resolved to change the face of the battle. XV. opiioituni- For some time, the course of the action had toMents- bccu offering to the Eussian General an oppor- tunity of striking a great blow ; and, circum- stanced as he M'as, it would have been easier for him to gain a signal victory before three o'clock, than to stand on the defensive and hold his ground till sunset. The English forces, confront- ing as they did a position of great natural strength, and having their left on ground as open as a race-course, would have been hampered in every attempt to storm the Great Redoubt if their flank had been assiduously threatened, and now and then charged, by the enemy's powerful cavalry. Therefore, if Mentschikoff, checking the English forces by a vigorous use of his horse- men, had undertaken at this time such an advance jrliikoff.
