text_original: But our prestige had lately waned. There were exaggerated rumours of reverses to English arms in the Crimea ; men talked of the success of Russia in sustaining the siege of Sebastopol against England and France in combination ; even young men had witnessed the disasters in Afghanistan and the questionable victories in the Punjab ; wars in China and Persia were likely to drain the strength even of a great military Power.
text_transcription: BUT OUR PRESTIGE HAD LATELY WANED THERE WERE EXAGGERATED RUMORS OF REVERSES TO ENGLISH ARMS IN THE CRIMEA MEN TALKED OF THE SUCCESS OF RUSSIA IN SUSTAINING THE SIEGE OF SEBASTOPOL AGAINST ENGLAND AND FRANCE AND COMBINATION EVEN YOUNG MEN HAD WITNESSED THE DISASTERS IN AFGHANISTAN AND THE QUESTIONABLE VICTORIES IN THE PUNJUB WARS IN CHINA AND PERSIA WERE LIKELY TO DRAIN THE STRENGTH EVEN OF A GREAT MILITARY POWER
phonemes: bˌʌt ˌaʊɚ pɹɛstˈiːʒ hæd lˈeɪtli wˈeɪnd. ðɛɹwˌɜːɹ ɛɡzˈædʒɚɹˌeɪɾᵻd ɹˈuːmɚz ʌv ɹᵻvˈɜːsᵻz tʊ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈɑːɹmz ɪnðə kɹˈaɪmiə ; mˈɛn tˈɔːkt ʌvðə səksˈɛs ʌv ɹˈʌʃə ɪn səstˈeɪnɪŋ ðə sˈiːdʒ ʌv səbˈæstəpˌɑːl ɐɡˈɛnst ˈɪŋɡlənd ænd fɹˈæns ɪn kˌɑːmbᵻnˈeɪʃən ; ˈiːvən jˈʌŋ mˈɛn hæd wˈɪtnəst ðə dɪzˈæstɚz ɪn æfɡˈænɪstˌæn ænd ðə kwˈɛstʃənəbəl vˈɪktɚɹiz ɪnðə pʌndʒˈɑːb ; wˈɔːɹz ɪn tʃˈaɪnə ænd pˈɜːʒə wɜː lˈaɪkli tə dɹˈeɪn ðə stɹˈɛŋθ ˈiːvən əvə ɡɹˈeɪt mˈɪlətˌɛɹi pˈaʊɚ.