anger that might arise. Meanwhile she endeavoured to allay distrust of
Russia by inducing that power to evacuate the Danubian principalities.
But before this result could be accomplished the negotiations between
Austria and Russia had taken a turn which gave Austria, in English eyes,
the appearance of an accomplice rather than of a mediator. The
revolutionary movements of 1830 and following years had produced grave
apprehensions in the minds of the rulers of the three eastern powers,
Austria, Prussia, and Russia; and the coercion of Holland and Portugal
caused them to feel a deep distrust of the policy of Great Britain and
France, and to grasp the necessity of united action against the
revolutionary forces at work in Europe. For this purpose it was
considered necessary to revive Metternich's policy of 1820 as defined at
Troppau. The three powers had for some time been drawing together, and
in September, 1833, the Emperors Francis and Nicholas and the Crown
Prince of Prussia met at Muenchengraetz in Bohemia, where a secret
convention was signed on the 18th. They refused to recognise Isabella as
Queen of Spain in the event of Ferdinand's death; they arranged for
mutual assistance against the Poles; and agreed to combine to resist
any change of dynasty in Turkey and any extension of Arab rule into
Europe. In the event of a collapse of the Ottoman empire, Austria and
Russia were to act together in settling the reversion. On October 15 the
three powers signed a further convention at Berlin, containing one
public and two secret articles. The latter recognised the right, already
asserted at Troppau, of intervention in the internal affairs of a
country whose sovereign expressed a desire for foreign assistance. There
can be little doubt that Austria and Russia were in earnest in their
professed desire to maintain the integrity of the Turkish dominions, but
an opinion gained ground in England that they had already agreed to
partition them between themselves.

On January 29, 1834, Austrian mediation bore fruit in a definite treaty
for the evacuation of the Danubian principalities. Russia merely
reserved to herself the appointment of the first hospodar of each
principality. The first act, however, of Alexander Ghika, the new
hospodar of Wallachia, was to forbid any change of statute without the
consent of Russia. Silistria alone remained in Russian hands till a
third part of the indemnity should be paid. The remaining two-thirds
Ru