362 PLAN OF ATTACKING THE NORTH SIDE. CHAP. V. The Sever- naya or north side of Sebas- topol. tion open being close to its end, they were called upon to determine whether they would at once prepare to deliver the attack, or give up their old plan of campaign. It is now therefore time to see what there was in front of the Allies which might be calculated to turn them from the execution of their original design. On the northern side of the Sebastopol bay, and facing the sea-forts which cover the town and harbour, there were not only other sea-forts of great size and power, but also some barracks, some magazines, and a factory worked by the Government. This aggregate of buildings, or the quarter in which they stood, was known amongst Kussians by the name of the Severnaya ; and the English have been accustomed to call it the ' North side of Sebastopol,' or, in language more short, the ' North Side.' If once the Allies could make themselves masters there, they would be able to deal so lieavily with the town and arsenal IIS value to of Scbastopol, and would have it so completely in their power to burn every ship in the harbour, that thenceforth the main object of the invasion might be regarded as an object attained.* But even these were not all the advantages which might be expected to flow from a resolve to attack the Star Fort. By reason of the prox-
- I rest tliis assertion upon the authority of General de Tod-
leljeu.— 'Defense de Sebastopol,' vol. i. p. 239. The General (in accord with Drumniond, ante, p. 361) states hie conclusion upon thia pcint in decisive, unhesitating terms.
