Page:The invasion of the Crimea Vol. 8.djvu/341

WITH THE WESTERN POWERS. 309 whilst moreover there was room to believe that chap. xii. the Turks, and the two Western Powers, with, to L_ aid them, the merely potential, the merely half- drawn sword of Austria, could effectually expel the Czar's army from those Danubian provinces which he had seized as his 'material guarantee.' And accordingly, in spite of the plan which its efficacy -I • i • 1 -n e *° r t' le fi rs ' dispensed the two more aggrieved rowers from proposed • t itt- i object. any immediate need to be taking up arms, the alliance of the four quickly proved that, so far as concerned the repression of that particular outrage which had brought on the war, these States could enforce their will against Kussia in a high-handed, summary way. Secured against the contingency of any Eus- sian attack by the attitude of her Western allies, Austria had been able to approach the once haughty Nicholas with commanding and per- emptory words. By mere summons, without the necessity of having to strike a blow, she had soon forced the Czar to abandon his hold of the principalities, and to recross the Pruth; but also by convention with the Sultan she had been peaceably enabled to occupy the delivered provinces with her own troops, thus establishing — at least for the time — her authority on that Lower Danube which was precious as an outlet for not only her own dom- inions, but also those of all Germany. This, not only for Austria herself but also for Germany, and therefore also for Prussia (which could not but heed German interests) was a happy result —