Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/150

 120 CAUSES INVOLVING FRANCE AND ENGLAND CHAP, have protected them against that sensation of X. 'drifting,' which was afterwards described by the Foreign Secretary. It is known that when the English declaration announcing the rupture with Eussia was about to be prepared, it was found less easy than might be supposed to assign reasons Ditncuity of for the war. The necessity of having to state the cause of the rupture in a solenni and precise form, disclosed the vice of the policy which the Govern- ment was following ; for it could not be concealed that the grievance which was inducing France and England to take up arms was one of a Euro- pean kind, which called for redress at the hands of the four Powers rather than for the armed championship of the two.* Of course the difficulty M'as overcome. When the faith of the country was pledged, and fleets and armies already moving to the scene of the conflict, it was not possible that war vould be stayed for want of mere words. The Queen was advised to declare, that, by the regard due to an ally, and to an empire whose integrity and inde- pendence were essential to the peace of Europe, by the sympathies of her people for the cause of riglit against injustice, and from a desire to save Europe from the preponderance of a Power which had violated the faith of treaties, she felt called upon to take up aiin.'^, in concert with the Em- peror of the Frencli, for the defence of the Sultan. first supplied to him he couhl not frame a jiropcrDechiration of War, and reipiired further instructions from the Goverimieut.
 * The Qucfii's ailvocate coiiceiveil that upon the papers as