136 IMPERIAL OBSTRUCTION. chap, draw 90,000 of the Anglo-French troops from all . share in the coming attacks. iiowthe In parting at last with that subject of the Emperor . (against hia superincumbent plan which during several own wishes) prevented months had hampered the cause of the Allies, all recourse to field ne may say that the idea of resorting to some operations. J J ° sort of field operations well deserved to be con- sidered with care ; but all the wishes formed by the Emperor in that general direction were balked by his own course of action. He tenaciously coupled his longing for field operations with the eccentric, fanciful plan of an Alpine excursion from Aloushta; and on the other hand, he in- sisted with almost passionate energy that no en- terprise against the enemy's flank or rear should be attempted from Eupatoria. Well, enquiry in the Crimea convinced people there that the idea of an advance into the moun- tains from Aloushta was rash, was even wild, yet also satisfied many (including amongst others Lord Raglan) that a plan of attacking the Rus- sian field army from Eupatoria might be well carried into effect ; ( 3 ) and what forbade a re- sort to that last simple measure was the an- tipathy it excited in the mind of Louis Na- poleon. He, in short, had constructed a plan which, however enchanting to himself, was by others considered absurd ; and the one that others approved he ran down with singular vehemence. In this way, though eager for field operations,
