ned by this step. "I have received," wrote Sir
James Graham on the 15th of August, "the report of the committee of
officers to whom, with your consent, the plan for the attack on
Cronstadt was submitted. On the whole, after careful consideration, they
have come to the unanimous conclusion that it is inexpedient to try
experiments in present circumstances. They do full justice to your
lordship, and they expressly state that, if such an enterprise were to
be undertaken, it could not be confided to fitter or abler hands than
yours; for your professional career has been distinguished by remarkable
instances of skill and courage, in all of which you have been the
foremost to lead the way, and by your personal heroism you have gained
an honourable celebrity in the naval history of this country."

That letter was disappointing to Lord Dundonald; but, as the value of
his plans was not disputed, he hoped that he might yet be allowed to put
them in execution. "Be pleased," he said in his reply to Sir James
Graham, "to accept the sincere assurance of the high estimation in which
I hold the kind and favourable expression of your sentiments towards me.
It is indeed gratifying to perceive that the experienced admirals to
whom you referred the professional consideration of my secret plan have
not expressed any doubt of its practicability."

The report of the admirals, however, had as unfavourable an effect as
could have resulted had they declared openly against the project. Week
followed week without any successful issue to the efforts of the Baltic
fleet; and added to Lord Dundonald's chagrin at not being permitted to
achieve the desired success, was his distress at finding unmerited blame
thrown by the Government, and by nearly all classes of the public, upon
a brave and skilful seaman, for not doing what, with the means at his
disposal, it was impossible for him to do. Admiral Sir Charles Napier
had failed, through no fault of his own, in the project for attacking
Cronstadt, a fortress of almost unrivalled strength, and, by reason of
the shallow water surrounding it, unapproachable by the heavy
line-of-battle ships and frigates which constituted all his force; and
during the months of his necessary inactivity, and after his return to
England, Lord Dundonald was almost his only defender. "In justice to
Admiral Napier, against whom 'the indignant dissatisfaction of the
nation' is said to be directed," he wrote in a letter to the "Mor