AT last it was determined by the Allied Governments that it was a mere waste of power to keep the armies and fleets inactive, and that "something must be done." The Light Brigade, under Lord George Paget, received orders to hold themselves in readiness to embark for Eupatoria. A small corps of infantry was told off for the expedition which had been organized to make an attack upon Kinburn in conjunction with the French.
The English portion of the expedition was constituted as follows:—
| LINE-OF-BATTLE SHIPS. | |||||
| Guns. | Captains commanding. | Troops on Board. | Royal Marines. | ||
Royal Albert,Sir E. Lyons, | 121 | W. R. Mends | 17th Regiment | 800 | 80 |
Hannibal, Sir H. | 90 | J. Hay | 21st Regiment | 670 | 80 |
| Agamemnon[27] | 90 | Sir J. Pasley | |||
| Algiers | 90 | C. Talbot | 20th Regiment | 500 | 80 |
| St. Jean d'Acre | 101 | G. King | 1030 | ||
| Princess Royal | 91 | L. Jones | 63rd Regiment | 700 | 80 |
| 583 | 2670 | 1350 | |||
| STEAM FRIGATES, SLOOPS, ETC. | |||||
| Curaçoa | 30 | G. F. Hastings | |||
| Dauntless | 33 | A. P. Ryder | |||
| Firebrand | 6 | E. Inglefield | |||
| Furious[27] | 16 | W. Loring | |||
| Gladiator | 6 | C. Hillyar | |||
| Leopard | 18 | G. Giffard | Left wing, 57th, and reserve ammunition | 370 | |
| Odin | 16 | J. Wilcox | |||
| Sidon | 22 | G. Goldsmith | Right wing, 57th, and reserve ammunition | 300 | |
| Sphinx | 6 | A. Wilmott | |||
| Spiteful | 6 | F. Shortt | |||
| Spitfire | 5 | T. Spratt | |||
| Stromboli | 6 | R. Hall | |||
| Terrible | 21 | J. M'Cleverty | |||
| Tribune | 31 | J. R. Drummond | |||
| Triton | 3 | A.W.D.Fletcher | |||
| Valorous[27] | 16 | C. Buckle | |||
| Vulcan | 6 | E. Van Donop | |||
| Totals | 830 | 3340 | 1350 | ||
| THE BRITISH FLOTILLA. | ||
| SMALLER VESSELS. | ||
| Gun-boats. | Guns. | Commanders. |
| 1. Arrow | 4 | Lt. W. K. Jolliffe. |
| 2. Clinker | 1 | Lt. Hudson. |
| 3. Cracker | 1 | Lt. Marryat. |
| 4. Fancy | 1 | Lt. Grylls. |
| 5. Moslem | 1 | —— |
| 6. Lynx | 4 | Lt. C. M. Aynsley. |
| 7. Viper | 4 | Lt. H. Comber. |
| 8. Wrangler | 4 | Lt. Burgoyne. |
| 9. Beagle | 4 | Lt. Howitt. |
| 10. Snake | 4 | Lt. Buckley. |
| MORTAR-VESSELS—(CAPTAIN DIGBY COMMANDING.) | ||
| 1. Firm | Lt. Leet, St. Jean d'Acre | Lt. Hewitt, R.M.A. |
| 2. Hardy | Pierson, Mate, Princess Royal | Lt. Foster, R.M.A. |
| 3. Camel | Vaughan, Mate, ditto | Lt. Starr, R.M.A. |
| 4. Flamer | Lt. Creagh, St. Jean d'Acre | Lt. Brookes, R.M.A. |
| 5. Magnet | Blunt, Mate, Algiers | Lt. Pitman, R.M.A. |
| 6. Raven | Hunt, Mate, Hannibal | Lt. Festing, R.M.A. |
| STEAM TENDERS, ETC. | ||
| Banshee. | Danube. | Brenda. |
| TRANSPORTS. | ||
| No. | Freight, &c. | |
| Prince Alfred | 126 | Royal Artillery. |
| Arabia | 83 | Royal Artillery, &c. |
| Orient | 78 | Medical Staff—Hospital Ship. |
| Lady Alice Lambton | 99 | Stores. |
| Durham | 179 | Miscellaneous. |
| Indian | 197 | Commissariat Staff, &c. |
| Charity | 140 | Civil Land Transport Corps and Commissariat Stores. |
| Colombo | Shot and shell, &c. | |
| Zebra | 211 | Fuel. |
| Arthur Gordon | 238 | Stores. |
Dr. Gordon, in medical charge of the expedition, Surgeon Foaker, second in charge, and a number of medical officers, embarked on board the Orient.
Deputy-Commissary-General (in charge of the expedition) Tyrone Power, Assistant-Commissary-General Cumming, Deputy-Assistant-Commissary-General Sutherland, and Commissariat Clerk Robinson; Lieutenant Wardlaw, and twenty Dragoons, Captain Nicholson, R.E., Lieutenant Gordon, R.E., and Lieutenant Scratchley, R.E., in command of the Sappers and Miners, embarked on board the Orient. Major Bent, Royal Engineers, embarked on board the Royal Albert.