A Turkish squadron of twelve sail in the Black Sea were attacked on the 30th while lying at anchor at Sinope and completely destroyed, with the loss of 4,000 men, leaving only about 400 alive. The news of this massacre, enacted almost under the very guns of the allied fleet, spread like wildfire through France and Great Britain, and ignited every warlike spirit that still slumbered. It was alleged that the Turkish admiral had hauled down his flag before the overwhelming force which attacked him, and that the Russians had paid no attention to this signal of surrender. [Sidenote: Resignation of Lord Palmerston.] The Cabinet was much more divided in opinion than the nation. Lord Palmerston, the Home Secretary, startled the nation by resigning office on December 16, not, however, as was generally assumed, on account of difference about the Eastern Question. "No one," wrote Prince Albert, "will believe the true cause of his retirement--his dislike of Lord John's plan of Reform, and treachery is everywhere the cry. It is the Eastern Question that has turned him out, and Court intrigues!" Everybody, in fact, believed that Palmerston had left the Cabinet rather than assent to abandoning Turkey to the tender mercies of Russia. Prince Albert was vehemently accused by a portion of the Press of being favourable to the designs of Russia: how far this was from the truth people afterwards came to learn from his own letters written while these events were in progress. The cry went forth that Palmerston was the only man who could save the honour of England; in a few days he withdrew his resignation and confidence was restored. [Illustration: _R. Simkin._} A. Trooper, 17th Lancers. B. Trooper, 10th Hussars. C. Trooper, 2nd Life Guards. D. Private. Coldstream Guards. E. Trooper. 1st Royal Dragoons. F. Private, King's Royal Rifles. G. Officer, Royal Artillery. H. Officer, Line. J. Officer, Black Watch. K. Gunner, Royal Horse Artillery. L. Private, Line. UNIFORMS OF THE BRITISH ARMY IN 1897.] [Sidenote: Great Britain and France Declare War with Russia.] On February 7 the Russian Ministers left London and Paris; the English Minister left St. Petersburg on the same day. On the 27th the ultimatum of England was despatched to Count Nesselrode. On March 24 Her Majesty's formal declaration of war against the Emperor of Russia was read from the steps of the Royal Exchange, and the reasons for this act were published at length in the _London Gazette_. England had been slow--culpably slow, declared Derby and Disraeli--in resorting to an appeal to arms, but, having made it, the spirit of her greatest poet pervaded the Councils of her Ministry:-- "Beware Of entrance to a quarrel; but, being in, Bear it, that the oppressor may beware of thee." [Sidenote: State of British Armaments.]