30 ANTAGONISM OF LOUIS NAPOLEON. chap. ' the English army am! Government and the two in. ' fleets attach so high a value. It has seemed to ' me that it would be good policy in reference to ' the future of our operations concerted with the ' English to make a beginning of my relations ' with them by an act which would heal the ' wound they received from the recall of the ' former expedition, would end the very grave ' trouble which it brought upon the relations c between the French and the English, and re- 1 store that harmony which is in one word the ' great necessity of the time. The expedition ' has therefore been determined upon, and the c troops embark to-day.' * Accentuated by such an announcement this language might well be astounding to the Em- peror Louis Napoleon, since he not only found himself extruded from the command of his army in the Crimea, but even, as we saw, overruled in a matter concerning high policy, and the main- tenance of friendship with England. lie by telegraph said to Pedissier on the following day : r,ouis ' I have confidence in you, and I do not pretend i..ivVis.s?ar. ' to command the army from hence.t Still, I ' must tell you my opinion, and you must respect ' it. It is absolutely necessary to make a great ' effort and beat the Russian army in order to ' invest the place. To be looking for space ami
- Telegram of the 21st May.— Rousset, vol. ii. p. 191.
t This disclaimer was retracted by even the two next sen- tences, and again by the Emperor's two next messages to PelisKicr.
