each rank to the extent of the reduction were placed on half-pay, with a view to being absorbed as vacancies occurred. This was a sad blow to the Corps, as the prospects of promotion were much injured, but it was not the only or even the worst shock that was to be encountered. On March 20th, 1819, a further reduction of no less than forty officers was made. The list, when this had been effected, stood as follows:

Four Colonels Commandant; eight Colonels; twenty LieutenantColonels, of whom four were to be on Major's pay; thirty-two Captains; thirty-two Second Captains; sixty-four First Lieutenants; thirty-two Second Lieutenants; and one Brigade-Major, making a total of 193 officers. The half-pay list was now choked with men waiting to be brought back to the active list, and all prospect of promotion was practically at an end for many years.

The results were in every way most discouraging. Time passed on, and men grew grey whilst still holding the commission of subaltern, until at length it took as long as twenty-three years to obtain a Second Captaincy, of which no less than nine had been passed in the subordinate grade of Second Lieutenant. The Warrant by which this reduction was decreed contained some unimportant changes in the pay. The extra pay of the Second Captain was fixed at 8s. abroad and 4s. at home, and brevet rank was to carry with it an additional 2s. a day.

Matters having reached their worst, began slowly to mend. The first gleam of returning prosperity broke forth in 1825. It had been decided to carry out an Ordnance Survey of Ireland, and it was wished that the work should be pressed forward with the utmost rapidity. To do this, a large number of additional Survey Officers were required, and these could not be furnished from the attenuated list. A new Warrant was therefore issued, dated 19th November, 1825, granting an increase of forty-eight officers of all ranks. This brought back the numbers to five battalions, and cleared off all the remaining expectants from the half-pay list, so that now some little movement might be anticipated.

The next change to notice was the abolition of the Invalid Engineers, which took place by Warrant dated December 23rd, 1831, and in their place substituting a retirement on full pay of two Lieutenant-Colonels, six Captains, and four Lieutenants.

The roster remained without further change for many years after this date, and it was not until April 1st, 1846, that another move was made. On that day a sixth battalion was added, causing an addition of forty-seven officers. The post of Brigade-Major of the Corps was now abolished, and an Assistant Adjutant-General

substituted in his place, with an allowance of twenty shillings a day in addition to his regimental pay.

Officers were also to be allowed to be employed when necessary in the Civil Departments of the Government. That there should be no loss to Engineer services, the Lords Commissioners of the Treasury were empowered to place such officers on the seconded list, giving a step of promotion by so doing. The Treasury was to decide whether such officers should receive the whole or any part of their regimental pay in addition to the remuneration granted to them for their civil services. If promoted during such employment, they were not to receive the military pay and allowances of the higher rank till the cessation of the service. On their return to the Corps they were to be absorbed in the grades to which they then belonged on the occasion of a

vacancy.

At the first threatening of a war with Russia, Lord Raglan, who was Master-General of the Ordnance, remembering from old Peninsular experience the necessity of having a full and efficient supply of Engineers, at once pressed for an augmentation. This was granted to the extent of a battalion on February 17th, 1854, thus raising the Corps to seven battalions of forty-eight officers each. It was with this strength that they carried on the Russian war, which, owing to circumstances, became little more than one great siege, and, in consequence, brought a heavy strain upon their energies. The following Chapters will show how that call

was met.

CHAPTER XVIII.

THE RUSSIAN WAR, 1854.

Sir John Burgoyne's Mission to Constantinople-His Visit to Paris-He proceeds to Gallipoli and Varna-Burke's Report on the Danube PositionThe Lines of Gallipoli-Advance on Varna-Successful Defence of Silistria-Death of Lieutenant Burke-Bridge across the Danube—Fire at Varna-Gallantry of Sapper James Cray-Expedition to the BalticCapture of Bomarsund-Destruction of the Forts-Landing in the Crimea Battle of the Alma-Death of General Tylden-The Flank March-Description of Sebastopol-First Bombardment-Death of Colonel Alexander-Battles of Balaklava and Inkerman-Preparations for Winter -Fearful Storm and Consequent Losses--Capture of Tryon's Rifle PitsThe Road Question.

THE year 1854 opened with the first mutterings of that storm which was so soon to develop into a fierce and bloody war. Turkey and Russia were already engaged, and it seemed but too likely that England, with or without the aid of France, would act to prevent the capture and occupation of Constantinople by her formidable antagonist. Sir John Burgoyne was at this time the trusted and honoured military adviser of Lord Aberdeen's Government, and he lost no time in urging that the British should take immediate possession of the Dardanelles, as a base of operations for their fleet, and throw up works of sufficient strength to hold that point against the utmost efforts of Russia. The Government decided that he himself should proceed to the spot and make a thorough inspection of the ground. The following letter from Sir James Graham to Lord Raglan, the Master-General of the Ordnance, shows what at that time was contemplated:

"My dear Lord Raglan,

"Admiralty, 26th January, 1854.

"The Cabinet accepts with grateful thanks and acknowledgments Sir John Burgoyne's spirited and honourable offer of going himself to Constantinople without delay. They also duly appreciate your readiness to part for a short time with so valuable an assistant. We propose that Sir John Burgoyne should visit Paris by the way, that he should place himself in communication with Lord Cowley, who will be prepared for his arrival, and who will introduce him to the French authorities desirous of a conference. We have written to Lord Cowley begging that Sir John Burgoyne may not be long detained in Paris, for we are anxious

that he should reach Constantinople as soon as possible, and return after inspecting the Bosphorus and Dardanelles with the utmost expedition. We have also notified to the French Government, that if they wish to send an Engineer officer to accompany Sir John, he will be happy to be so associated, and that we can give him a passage in the Caradoc, now ready, and waiting orders at Marseilles. We must request Sir John not to go beyond Constantinople, but to turn his back on the Black Sea, and to hasten his return to England as soon as the object of his mission is accomplished. The Cabinet is of opinion that if a field officer of Engineers, in whom you confide, could accompany Sir John, and be left by him at Constantinople in full possession of his views and plans, much time might be saved, and the public service would be promoted. We leave this arrangement to your better judgment and discretion. It might be possible to order Colonel Tylden to proceed from Corfu, viâ Malta, to Constantinople with the utmost expedition, and Sir John in passing Malta might make arrangements with Admiral Stewart for Colonel Tylden following him without delay. . .

In accordance with the arrangements laid down in this letter, Captain F. Chapman, R.E., was appointed to proceed to Gallipoli, there to await Sir John's instructions. Accompanied by Lieutenants the Hon. G. Wrottesley and Burke, he embarked on board the Banshee, and they were conveyed with the utmost despatch to their destination, being the first British officers who landed on the shores of Turkey to take part in the impending war. Colonel Tylden was also directed to proceed to Constantinople from Corfu. Meanwhile, Sir John Burgoyne hurried off to Paris. There he had interviews with the Emperor and the leading French statesmen. Sir John wrote the following report on the subject to Colonel Matson, R.E., who was at the time the Assistant Adjutant-General of Royal Engineers at the Ordnance Office :

"My mission as far as this, appears to have been attended with good effects. I have had long interviews with the Emperor, with Lord Cowley' (the British ambassador at Paris), "the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Marshal Vaillant, who is much in the Emperor's confidence. They seem to have been quite at sea about a possibility of acting in Turkey, owing to the danger of the Russians marching down on the Dardanelles, and by so doing forcing our fleets and troops (if there were any) to retire to the Archipelago. I have been explaining the promising accounts that we have of the possibility of turning the Dardanelles into a stronghold, and the vast importance of taking early possession if those accounts shall be realized. They all acknowledge it now, and look with as much interest to our further researches as our own Government. The French have a showing of a good position, some ten or twelve miles in front of Constantinople, the right on the Black Sea, the left on the Sea of Marmora, with a comparatively small accessible front, and that probably could be held by 30,000 troops well entrenched. This also would be of vast importance, as it would not only cover Constantinople, and at a distance, like the

lines of Lisbon, but would also cover the entire passage of the Bosphorus. If we can secure the Dardanelles, we may play any game we please with great or with small means in the neighbourhood of Constantinople. Colonel Ardant, of the French Engineers, accompanies us.

This visit to Paris seems to have had great weight with the Emperor, for Lord Cowley wrote to Sir John, on February 8th, a letter in which he says

"You will be happy to learn that your visit to Paris has produced a visible change in the Emperor's views, and he is making every preparation for a land expedition in case the last attempt at negotiation should break down, as it infallibly will . The Emperor will not, under

any circumstances, come to any determination as to the point of disembarkation for troops until your return; but he assures me he has men and transports ready, and that he can send 15,000 off immediately. I suppose that we can send ten or twelve. The French troops will all be sent from Africa, and therefore, will be already inured to a hot climate and scanty supplies

The party, after a flying visit to Malta, pushed on for Constantinople, and the next glimpse we have of their work is again from a report to Colonel Matson, dated H.M.S. Caradoc, Gallipoli, February 12th, 1854.

"All our officers and Sappers had been sent by the Admiral to examine the Dardanelles (the party here alluded to consisted of Lieutenants Ewart, Wrottesley, and Burke, and six Sappers who had been taken on from Malta in the Banshee), "and on our arrival here yesterday morning from Constantinople I found Capt. Chapman with H.M. steamer Spitfire. He has come on board the Caradoc, and the Spitfire has gone to bring up the rest, for the important position to look for is across the isthmus."

On the same day Colonel Tylden arrived in an Austrian steamer and joined Sir John. The Engineers were at once set to work surveying the ground and making the necessary arrangements for laying out the proposed lines. In a letter of February 22nd, Sir John speaks of very bad weather, and says

"The detachment on the hill who are engaged to take plans and make designs for works, I fear, must have suffered great discomfort."

This detachment consisted of the above named Royal Engineer officers and Sappers and of two French Engineers. Having carefully inspected the ground about Gallipoli, Sir John returned to Constantinople, taking with him Lieutenants Wrottesley and Burke, and shortly afterwards pushed forward as far as Schumla to visit Omar Pasha. He was taken to Varna in the Caradoc, which after

This Report is dated "Paris, 31st Jan., 1854.”