THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_). Gortschakoff clings to Sebastopol--Destruction of Taman and Fanagoria--Expedition to Kinburn--Resignation of Sir James Simpson--Explosion of French Powder Magazine--The Fleets in the Baltic--The Hango Massacre--Attack on Sveaborg--What the Baltic Fleet did--Russia on the Pacific Coast--Petropaulovski blown up--The Russian Position in Asia--The Turks left to their Fate--Foreigners in Kars--Defeat of Selim Pasha--Battle of Kuruk-Dereh--Colonel Williams sent to Kars--Mouravieff arrives--His Expeditions towards Erzeroum--The Blockade begins--The Assault of September 29th--Kmety's success--The Tachmasb Redoubt--Attack on the English Lines--Victory of the Turks--Omar's Relief fails--Sufferings of the Garrison--Williams capitulates--Terms of the Surrender 128 CHAPTER X. THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_). Winter of '55--Visit of the Czar to the Crimea--State of the British Army--Sufferings of the French--Destruction of Sebastopol--The Armistice--Views of Austria and Russia--And of the Emperor Napoleon--Britain acquiesces in Peace--Walewski's Circular--Austria proposes Peace--Buol's Despatch--Nesselrode's Circular--The Austrian Ultimatum--Russia gives way--The Congress fixed at Paris--The Queen's Speech--Speeches of Clarendon and Palmerston--Meeting of the Congress--The Armistice--An Imperial Speech--The Sultan's Firman--Prussia admitted to the Congress--Birth of the Prince Imperial--The Treaty signed--Its Terms--Bessarabia and the Principalities--The Three Conventions--The Treaty of Guarantee--Count Walewski's Four Subjects--The Declaration of Paris--International Arbitration mooted--The Kars Debate--Debates on the Peace--General Rejoicings--Cost of the War--First Presentation of the Victoria Cross 144 CHAPTER XI. THE REIGN OF VICTORIA (_continued_).