rks were superior in numbers and resources to their
foes: his counsel was despised, delays were interposed, when no
alternative but the ostensible adoption of his plans remained, and the
result was the almost total dispersion of the Turkish armies, and the
imminent danger of Erzerum, and even Kars, falling into the hands of
the enemy without a struggle. This state of things continued until
Lieut.-colonel (afterwards Majorgeneral Sir Fen wick Williams, Bart.)
Williams appeared upon the scene as the commissioner of her Britannic
majesty. In that character he was invested with an authority poor Guyon
could not claim, and without which the latter officer struggled in vain.
Colonel Williams, like Guyon, was an object of the insatiable jealousy
of Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, who gave him no support, and, in
spite of the entreaties--and, at last, of the commands--of the English
minister for foreign affairs, thwarted Colonel Williams in every
conceivable way. Supported, however, by the decision, perseverance, and
intelligence of Lord Clarendon, the English commissioner held his ground
in spite of the coldness, and even opposition, of the ambassador, and
was enabled to re-organize the dispersed armies of the Porte, to
place Kars and Erzerum in conditions of defence, and to throw such
obstructions in the way of the Russians, then flushed with success, as
retarded their advance, until the fall of Sebastopol decided virtually
the fortunes of the war.

Leaving the struggle in Asia in the position above noticed, it is
necessary to turn once more to Turkey in Europe.

When the conquering Turks drove the flying Russians before them through
the Principalities, the Austrians marched in and took possession of the
quarters abandoned by the fugitives. Interposing between the victors
and the vanquished, the Austrians rendered valuable services to the
Russians, and, perhaps, preserved their army from total destruction.
Without the knowledge of the Western allies, Austria concluded a
convention with the Porte for the occupation of the Provinces. There
were many circumstances to prove that the French government was privy to
this design, and a special policy on the part of France began to develop
itself. Whatever the motives of that policy, it had, for its effect, a
concert with the Austrians in exercising a domination over the Roman
Provinces far more intolerable than that from which Turkish valour had
delivered them. The oppressed Romans sou