as the issue proved--on
the military support of England and France. It was plain enough that
Turkey would go to the wall in a struggle with Russia, unless other
nations which dreaded the possession of Constantinople by the Czar came,
in their own interests, to her help. With the rejection by Russia of the
Turkish amendments to the Vienna Note, and the difference of opinion
which at once arose between the four mediating Powers as to the policy
which it was best under the altered circumstances to pursue, a complete
deadlock resulted.

[Sidenote: HOSTILITIES ON THE DANUBE]

Lord John's view of the situation was expressed in a memorandum which he
placed before the Cabinet, and in which he came to these conclusions:
'That if Russia will not make peace on fair terms, we must appear in the
field as the auxiliaries of Turkey; that if we are to act in conjunction
with France as principals in the war, we must act not for the Sultan,
but for the general interests of the population of European Turkey. How,
and in what way, requires much further consideration, and concert
possibly with Austria, certainly with France.' He desired not merely to
resist Russian aggression, but also to make it plain to the Porte that
we would in no case support it against its Christian subjects. The
Cabinet was not prepared to adopt such a policy, and Lord John made no
secret of his opinion that Lord Aberdeen's anxiety for peace and
generous attitude toward the Czar were, in reality, provoking war. He
believed that the Prime Minister's vacillation was disastrous in its
influence, and that he ought, therefore, to retire and make way for a
leader with a definite policy. The Danube, for the moment, was the great
barrier to war, and both Russia and Turkey were afraid to cross it. Lord
John believed that energetic measures in Downing Street at this juncture
would have forestalled, and indeed prevented, activity of a less
peaceful kind on the Danube. Meanwhile, despatches, projects, and
proposals passed rapidly between the Great Powers, for never, as was
remarked at the time by a prominent statesman, did any subject produce
so much writing. Turkey--perhaps still more than Russia--was eager for
war. Tumults in favour of it had broken out at Constantinople; and, what
was more to the purpose, the finances and internal government of the
country were in a state of confusion. Therefore, when the concert of the
four Powers had been shattered, the Turks saw a bett