Towards the end of 1853 difficulties had arisen between Turkey and her
ancient enemy Russia. The matters in dispute were of no real
importance. Russia was persuaded that the Turkish Empire was breaking
up, and that the time for its partition was at hand, and that therefore
any pretext was good enough upon which to found a quarrel. France and
England, however, were not willing to see Constantinople in the hands of
Russia, and accordingly formed forces to assist Turkey. On the 30th of
November a Russian fleet leaving Sebastopol under cover of a dense fog
made a dash upon the Turkish harbour of Sinope. Here they surprised a
Turkish squadron of eight frigates, two schooners, and three transports
utterly unprepared for battle. Without warning, the Russian Admiral
Nachenioff opened fire upon them, and though the Turks fought bravely,
in the course of a few hours all their ships but two were destroyed.
This action cannot be described as a battle, but as an inhuman,
unnecessary massacre, 5000 men, including the wounded, being destroyed
by the fire of the Russians, who offered no terms and gave no quarter.
This barbarity aroused the utmost indignation in Europe, and the
prospect of war with Russia was greeted with enthusiasm by the British.
The allied fleets of Great Britain and France, the former consisting of
forty-nine ships mounting an aggregate of 1701 guns, and the latter of
thirty-six ships with 1742 guns, entered the Black Sea in January
following, and on the 28th of March war was formally declared.
On 11th March Queen Victoria reviewed at Spithead the most powerful
fleet that up to that time had ever been collected. This was under the
command of Sir Charles Napier, with his flag on board the _Duke of
Wellington_, of 131 guns,--which ship alone would almost have been
capable of contending with the largest fleet Howe, Jervis, or Nelson
ever led to victory. That superb fleet was intended chiefly for the
Baltic, where it was hoped that not only would it humble the pride of
the Czar, by capturing Sveaborg, Helsingfors, and Cronstadt, but might
lay Saint Petersburg itself under contribution. Some of the ships went
to the Black Sea and in other directions; but Sir Charles Napier found
himself in command of a fleet in the Baltic, consisting altogether of
thirty steamers and thirteen sailing ships, mounting 2052 guns. The
French also had a fleet of twenty-three ships carrying 1250 guns.