264 ORDERS AND PREPARATIONS CHAP. ' This decision should be taken solely with '^^^^' ' reference to the means at your disposal, as
- compared with the difficulties to be overcome.
' It is probable that a large part of the Russian ' army now retreating from the Turkish territory ' may be j)oured into the Crimea to reinforce ' Sebastopol. If orders to this effect have not ' already been given, it is further probable that
- such a measure would be adopted as soon as
' it is known that the Allied armies are in ' motion to commence active hostilities. As all ' communications by sea are now in the hands of
- the Allied Powers, it becomes of importance
' to endeavour to cut off all communication by ' land between the Crimea and the other parts of ' the ItiiRsian dominions. This would be effectu-
- ally done by the occupation of the Isthmus of
' Perekop ; and I would suggest to you that, ' if a sufficient number of the Turkish army ' can now be spared for this purpose, it would ' be highly important that measures should be ' taken without delay for sending an adequate ' force to that point, and associating with the ' troops of the Sultan such English and French ' officers as would assist, by their advice, in ' holding permanently the position. With the ' same object, important assistance might be ' rendered by Admiral Dundas, if he has yet ' been able to obtain any vessels of a light • draught which would ])revent the passage of ' Russian troops to the Crimea through the Sea ' of Azov.
