Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/141

IN THE WAR AGAIXST KUSSIA. Ill CHAPTER X. The last of the steps which brought on the rup- c fi a P. ture between Paissia and the Western Powers ^' was perhaps one of the most anomalous trans- actions which the annals of diplomacy liave re- corded. The outrage to be redressed was the occupation by Eussia of Wallachia and Moldavia. Of all the States of Europe, except Turkey itself, the one most aggrieved by this occupation was Austria. Now Austria was one of the great Powers of Europe. She was essentially a military State ; she was the mistress of a vast and well- appointed array ; she was the neighbour of Ptussia. Geographically, she was so placed that (whatever perils she might bring upon her other frontiers) her mere order to her officer commanding her army of observation would necessarily force the Czar to withdraw his troops. On the other hand, Prance and England, though justly offended by the out- rage, and though called upon in their character as two of the great Powers to concur in fit measures for suppressing it, were far from being brought into any grievous stress by the occupation of the