SCARLETT JAMES YORKE: (1799-1871) British General, a hero of the Crimean War for his actions during the Battle of Balaclava, 1854. A very fine A.L.S., J. Yorke Scarlett, four pages, 8vo, Bagshot, 13th March 1856, to General Sir William Coddrington (sic). Scarlett announces 'I fully expected & intended to be at my Port at Scutari by the 15th inst. but am detained by Lord Hardinge's desire that I may give evidence, if necessary, before the Chelsea Board to be assembled to investigate the Report of Sir J McNeil & Col Tulloch' and continues 'I should have very strenuously have resisted this detention if it had not been notified to me also by Lord Hardinge that in the event of a Peace being the result of the Conference he does not wish me to return to re-embark the Cavalry for England. I am therefore riding at single anchor ready to start at any moment I receive permission should the Conference not terminate in Peace.' Scarlett also offers his views on his position should the War continue, 'I fear this detention will not be without inconvenience to the service as every officer will be needed at his Port as early as possible and I do not anticipate a very rapid termination to the labours of the Chelsea Board....Preparations for War however are being continued here...I have written to B. Gen. Lawrenson now Com. the Cavalry at Scutari and to the officers of the Staff to put everything in a state for active service after 31st March: Reinforcements of Cavalry are under orders to embark and I expect if War continues that the British Cavalry will consist of 44 Squadrons - but we cannot reckon the whole as effective. Two strong German Squadrons are also under orders to embark.' In concluding Scarlett remarks 'Before you receive this no doubt the Telegraph will have solved our present doubts and your plan of operations will be fixed for the future.' A letter of excellent content relating to the end of the Crimean War. EX

William John Codrington (1804-1884) British General, Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in the Crimea from 1855.

Scarlett makes reference to the negotiations which led to The Treaty of Paris of 1856 which settled the Crimean War between Russia and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the British Empire, the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The treaty, signed on 30th March 1856 at the Congress of Paris, made the Black Sea neutral territory, closing it to all warships, and prohibiting fortifications and the presence of armaments on its shores. The treaty marked a severe setback to Russian influence in the region.