Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 1.djvu/122

 80 ORIGIN OF THE WAR OF 1853 chap, was plain that Austria, when once engaged in war VL against the Sultan, would lose the standing-ground of a Power which undertakes to resist change, and would become so entangled by the mere progress of events, that it might be difficult for her to ex- tricate herself and revert to a conservative policy. Indeed, the Emperor Nicholas might fairly expect that Austria, having committed the original mis- take of disturbing the peace, would afterwards strive to cling to his friendsliip in the hope of being able to moderate his course of action, and avert or mitigate the downfall of the Turkish Empire. of Prussia. With respect to Prussia, the Emperor Nicholas was free from anxiety. As long as the measures against the Sultan were carried on in alliance with Austria, the States of Germany had little ground for fearing that the interest which they had in the freedom of the Lower Danube would be forgotten ; and, this object being secured, or regarded as secure, Prussia had less interest in the fate of the Ottoman Empire than any of the other great Powers. There being, therefore, no reason of State obliging him to take a contrary course, it was to be expected that the King of Prussia would continue to live under the ascendancy which his Imperial brother- in-law had long been accustomed to maintain. of France. France, having great military and naval forces, and a Mediterranean seabord, was well entitled to frame for herself any honest s} T stem of policy which she might deem to be the best guide for her con- duct in Eastern affairs.; but her power to have