CHAP. XIII.
Comprative impunity enjoyed for a time by the Agamemnon. the ruin of the batteries on the top of Fort Constantine, the guns in the casemates, though not so absolutely powerless against the Agamem- non as General de Todleben believed, were still of but moderate efficiency, and the much more formidable power of the little cliff batteries was in a great measure absorbed for a time by the other vessels of the in-shore squadron. But in proportion as the rest of the squadron got to be discomfited, the Agamemnon suffered more and Subsequent change in this respect. more; and when the Arethusa, when the Albion, when the London had all of them hauled out, one after the other, and when also the Sanspareil had moved away from her original position, the Agamemnon began to undergo a heavier cannonade than before. She was set on lire by a shell.
Persistence of Lyons. Whether it was that Lyons still entertained a hope of reducing Fort Constantine, or that he was governed by the instinctive reluctance of a brave man to abandon a strife once begun, he could not yet bring himself to haul off; but he became somewhat anxious.[1] He sought to obtain reinforcement. His measures for obtaining reinforcements. He signalled to the London to take station astern of him, and to the Bellerophon (which did not form part of his squadron) he made an appeal for support. Knowing that his
signal might be interrupted by smoke, he despatched his flag -lieutenant in one of the Aga-- ↑ See the passage of Lyons's despntch, quoted in the text, 'I have seldom had my mind more relieved,' &c., post, p. 384
