Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 1.djvu/390

 348 ORIGIN OF THE WAR OF 1S53 CHAP. ' balance of power and with those territorial XV " ' limits which have been established by various 1 treaties.' The nature Yet it cannot be doubted that in the midst of standingof this perfect concord of the four Powers, the Eng- 1853 between lish Government was induced to enter into a FVaiicg itntl Bugiand. separate understanding with the Emperor of the French.* This was the fatal transaction which substituted a cruel war for the peaceful but irre- sistible pressure which was exerted by the four Powers. The purport of this arrangement still lurks in private notes, and in recollections of private interviews ; but it can be seen that (for reasons never yet explained) France and England were engaging to move in advance of the other Powers. The four Powers, being all of one mind, were still to remain in concert so far as concerned the discussion and adjudication of the questions pending between Russia and Turkey; but France and England were to volunteer to enforce their judgment. The four Powers were to be judges, and two of them — namely, France and England — were to be the executioners. What made this arrangement the more preposterous was, that the outrage of which Europe complained was the occupation of two provinces which abutted upon the Austrian dominions. Of all the great Powers, Austria was the chief sufferer. Austria was upon the spot. Austria was the one Power which in- stantly and in a summary way could force the Czar to quit his hold ; and yet the charge of
 * Hansard, pp. 1424, 17G8, 1826.