Page:The invasion of the Crimea vol. 2.djvu/419

APPENDIX. 389 gave an account of the proposal brought forward by Count OrlofF, that the Emperor of Austria should, in conjunction with Prussia, take an engagement with the Emperor of Russia for the maintenance of a strict neutrality in the war now existing with the Porte, and in which the INIari- time Powers seemed likely to take part. Count Buol, in liis despatch, develops in the clearest and most distinct language the impossibility of the adoption by the Emperor of any such engagement. He states, with all courtesy to the Emperor Nicholas, the obligations by which the Aus- trian Government is bound to watch over the strict main- tenance of the principle of the independence and integrity of Turkey — a principle proclaimed by the Emperor Nicho- las himself, but which the passage of the Danube by his troops might, by the encouragement of insurrections in the Turkish Provinces, endanger. Count Buol, therefore, states that he cannot take the engagement proposed to him. The second despatch to Count Esterhazy relates to the answer which has been returned to the proposals for negotiations transmitted by Count Buol with the sanction of the Con- ference on the 13th ultimo. In this despatch, Count Buol states with considerable force the disappointment felt by the Emperor at the want of success Avhich had attended his recommendation in favour of the Turkish propositions. He enters very fully into the subject, and renews the expression of the Em- peror's most anxious desire that the Emperor Nicholas may still adopt the proposals which had been suV)mitted to him. The last despatch is one in which Count Buol replies to the reproach which was addressed to the Imperial Govern- ment, that by its present conduct it was abandoning the principles upon which the three Governments of Russia, Austria, and Prussia had hitherto acted for the mainte- nance of the established interests and independence of the