BATTLE OF THE ALMA. 9 aud leaves open the chord of the arc to invaders chap. who come from the north.* . IT. Against any plan for occupying the whole of tliis range of hills by the forces of the Czar there were two cogent reasons: for the summits of the West Clilf, aud even of part of the Telegraph Height, were exposed to fire from the ships, and the ground was too wide for the numbers that could be brought to defend it. But the whole of the naval and military re- Mentschi- ,,. Ill 1 ^ 1 l^ Uoffs Jil.iii sources of the Uriinea had been entrusted to the for availing direction of Prince jMentschikoflf. AVith him it the posiiioa rested to make head against the invasion ; and it seems he had been so forcibly struck with the great apparent steepness of the West Cliff and the heights connected with it, that he thought it must be wholly inaccessible to troops. He conceived, therefore, that he might safely omit to occup) it, and might be content to take up a comparatively narrow position, beginning on the eastern slopes of the Kourgane Hill, and termi-
- See the maps at the eud of the volume. I am aware that
in distances, ami in other material points, this description of the position differs widely from the result of the hasty surveys which were made soon after the battle, by English ollicers. The French Government plans bear such strong marks of having been made with great care and labour, that, in geueritl, 1 have ventured to take them fur my guide in preference 'jO those of my own countrymen.
