Page:The History of The Great European War Vol 1.pdf/16

 —Her increasing trade—Earlier she endeavoured to interfere with Britain there— Lord Curzon—Russia and Britain agree to exclude the intruder—Convention of 1907— Germany's next efforts again checkmated .pp. 76-94

CHAPTER VI

THE GERMAN EMPIRE AND PAN-GERMANISM (continued) GERMAN HOSTILITY TO ENGLAND

Boer War—Mr. Chamberlain's Edinburgh speech—German atrocities in the war of 1870— The new spirit in Britain—The aim of Germany—Britain and Germany could no longer be friends—Commercial competition—Colonial Conferences—The Boers to-day —The German naval ambition—The early Prussian fleet—The Kaiser's designs—Fleet required to obtain South Africa—Naval Law, 1898—The Bundesrath—Naval Law, 1900—Britain never believed Germany would attack her—German Navy League— Admiral von Koester—Von Tirpitz pp. 95-102

CHAPTER VII

{{center|THE GERMAN EMPIRE AND PAN-GERMANISM {continued') THE FINAL PHASE BEFORE THE WAR}}

Britain's Imperialist Policy—German hatred—Britain's indifference—Ultimately Germany's duplicity revealed—Colonial Conference annoyed Germany—Mr. Chamberlain's visit to South Africa—In 1908 the Kaiser intrigues again in South Africa—He mistakes the Liberal temperament—Did not know a Liberal was also a patriot—Diplomacy of Berlin after 1904 was particularly mean—Kaiser adopts a conciliatory attitude—Yet he blunders—Venezuela—British naval demonstration in the Baltic, 1905—Germany forced to salute British flag—Kaiser's speech at Doeberitz, 1908—International diplomatic conflicts—Manchuria—Anglo-Japanese Alliance—Thibet—Persian Gulf—The Anglo-Russian Entente—Visit of Russian Squadron to Britain—The fêtes at Reval—Annoyance of Kaiser—Good reason for it—Britain supports Austria and Italy against Germany—Since 1882 Germany had intrigued with Turkey—General Von der Goltz —Reorganises Turkish army—It breaks up in Balkan War, 1912—Nevertheless Von der Goltz retains his reputation—He is responsible for the defences of East Prussia—His great abilities—Kaiser bids for support of Sultan against Christian Powers—Foresight of von Moltke and others—Forty years ago Germany doing nothing in Turkey—Now the position has changed—Germany's success there—The value of Asia Minor—A field for German immigration—German method of treating "the sick man of Europe "—Baron Marschall von Bieberstein—The man and his work—Reduced Sultan to submission—Kaiser's pilgrimage to Jerusalem—Speech at Damascus—Only thing open to Britain to preserve its own—Akabah affair, 1906—Concession to Germany prevented at AbouMassa—Turkish Revolution, 1908—Germany's position there ultimately strengthened pp. 103-120

CHAPTER VIII

THE BALKANS AND PAN-SLAVISM

The Turkish invasion of Europe—The Balkan Peninsula—Russia, Protector of Christian— Break-up of Turkey—The Balkan War, 1912—A blow to Germany—Serbia—The Slavs— Their races—Pan-Slavism—Big-Serbian ideal—Russia the great Slav State—Early PanSlav theories—Present theories—Austrian Pan-Slavism—Its development—Opposition by Metternich—Serbia and the Serbs of Austria-Hungary—War against Turkey, 1876— Russia against Turkey, 1877—Congress of Berlin—King Milan and the Radicals—Troubles in Hungary—Bosnia and Herzegovina—War with Bulgaria—Abdication of King—Parliamentary system—Serbian efforts in Turkey—King Alexander—His assassination— Serbian agitation in adjacent countries—Accession of Peter Karageorgevitch—Commercial development—Economic conditions—Customs war with Dual Monarchy—Macedonia— Renewal of relations with Britain—Montenegro—National work in Bosnia-Herzegovina pp. 121-138