Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/145

IN THK WAll AGAINST RUSSIA. 1 1 f) hn'no- the Czav into astute of war with Austria, chap. Fraiic(i, and J^^uglaud. Instead of (aking tliis __Ll__ course, Lord Clarendon I'orwarded the snuinions (not as a draft or project, but as a document already signed and complete) to the Court of instructions Vienna, and it was despatched by a messenger, senger. who (after remaining for only a 'few hours' in the Austrian capital) was to carry on the summons to St Petersburg. Therefore Austria was made aware that, whether she was willing to defend her own interests or not, England was irrevocably com- mitted to defend them for her; and instead of requiring that Austria should take part in the step awi to Lord which she herself had advised. Lord Westmore- knu. land was merely instructed to express a hope that the summons ' would meet with the approval ' of the Austrian Cabinet, and that their opinion of Austria not it would be made known by Count Buol to the takei.ait iu the sum- Cabniet of St Petersburg. Such a step as this on monswincb " '- she had her the part of Austria was preposterously short of seifsug- what the Western Powers would have had a right to expect from her, if they had been a little less eager for hostilities, and had consulted her as to the time for coming to a rupture. Of course, the impatience of France and Eng- land was ruinous to the principle of maintaining concert between the four Powers, and yet had not the merit of springing from any sound mili- tary views. It is true that the Western Powers were sending troops to the Levant, and fitting out fleets for the Baltic ; but there was nothing in the state of their preparations, nor in the position