334 THE CANNONADE OF II. 8ttack ; cn A P. IMeanwliile, the fleets of the Allies, though they xiii • . . . _! L_ had not yet come into action, were standing in towards the roads of Sehastopol. Timeori- The captains of the iMiglish ships were op- lor'tiicnpcn- parentlj right when they counselled that their naval fire should bo withheld until the moment of the intended assault, hut their opinion had not been adopted by the Generals ; and, it having been once determined that a naval attack should be undertaken for the avowed purpose of adding to the moral effect which the land cannonade might produce, there was reason enough for determin- ing that it should begin at the same time — that is, at half-joast six in the morning. Accord- ingly, it Avas so agreed Ijy Lord Eaglan and Canrobeit.* Already Lyons had written to Lord Raglan, ' We shall hear each other at half-past six in the ' morning, and I am not without hopes of our
- seeing each other in the course of the day in
'Sehastopol;' and at half- past ten at night Dundas was announcing to Lord Laglan by letter
- On the IGth, the eve of the engageniont, Colonel Trochii's
memorandum of the agreement to which Canrobert and Lord Kaglan had come upon this point is express : ' Le feu com- ' memjera domain 17 Octobre vers 6 lieures 4 du matin au signal ' donne par trois bombes parties des ouvrages Frangais. La ' marine est invitee b, se conform er h, cette disposition.' Lord Ilaglan, in his own handwriting, lias endorsed the memorandum with these words: Tut by. This paper was drawn up by ' Colonel Trochn in my room, on the 16th of October, iu my • presence, and tli:it of General Rose and General Canrobert.'