BY THE ALLIED FLEET 271 fire of the ships on the sea-forts were to be simul- chap. XT taneovis with the action of the land-service guns ; ' for, unless Sebastopol should fall at the bidding of a mere cannonade, the allied fleet would have to sheer off without a palpable victory, and its de- parture, under such conditions would at least have the aspect of failure, if not indeed of defeat. But Lyons unfortunately did not see this whilst seconri sitting in conference ; and without dissent on his ouiieNavai part, the assembled Admirals judged that they might appropriately leave it to the commanders of the armies to say in what stage of the impend- ing conflict they would best like to have the help which the navy could give them. So, after inti- mating that their ammunition was limited to 70 rounds for each gun,* they submitted it to the Generals on shore to determine whether this, their supply of projectiles, should be all expended at the time of the land cannonade or at the time of the assault, or whether it should be divided into two, so as for one half of it to be used at the time of the land cannonade and the other half at the time of the assault.-f- The Generals made their choice. Indulging, as Decision of we saw, a fond hope that the united power of the and Lord naval and the land-service artillery might engender th(fchoi"r" confusion in the place, they judged that the hour them.- they had fixed for commencing the land cannon-
- That is, 140 rounds for each gun meant to be ased ; the
intention being that each ship should deliver fire from one only of her two broadsides. t Second resolution, ubi ante.
