Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 1.djvu/68

26 especially it was for the interest of Austria that this disaster should be averted, because the great empire of the Danube is so situate that its interests are more closely identical with the interests of England than with those of any other Power. Moreover, the indignation of Austria was whetted by seeing Bonaparte crowning himself at Milan and seizing Genoa. Therefore when Pitt turned to the Court of Vienna, he did not turn in vain. Supported by Russia and Sweden, Austria came forward in arms, and though she was for the time broken down by the disaster of Ulm, and the defeat of the Russian army at Austerlitz, her old ally was safe: nothing more was heard in those days of the invasion of England; and the islanders, relieved from the duty of mere literal self-defence, were set free to enter upon a larger scheme of action. Thenceforth they defended England by toiling for the deliverance of Europe. The coalition of 1805 was shattered, but already it had helped to secure the precious life of the nation which was destined to be the first to carry war into the territory of the disturber.

Again, in the same year it was perilous to Central Europe that Bonaparte should be having do- minion in Germany; but also it was against the interest of Russia that this should be, and the de-