Page:Turkey, the great powers, and the Bagdad Railway.djvu/280

 said, "We share the general satisfaction at this rapprochement, which is an aid to world peace, but we also are of the opinion that there is no occasion for over-*exuberance or patriotic bombast."[27]

As usual, the rôle of the Turks themselves was slighted. A casual observer might have remarked that whatever "benevolent acquiescence" was included in the settlement originated in Constantinople rather than in London, and that the "sacrifices" involved were much more painful to Turkey than to Germany!

In the Speech from the Throne, February 10, 1914, King George V informed Parliament that the Near Eastern question was approaching a solution. "My relations with foreign Powers continue to be friendly," he said. "I am happy to say that my negotiations, both with the German Government and the Ottoman Government as regards matters of importance to the commercial and industrial interests of this country in Mesopotamia are rapidly approaching a satisfactory issue." Nothing was said to indicate the character of the negotiations or to identify the "commercial and industrial interests" which were the objects of royal solicitude.

Before the British Government would give its consent to a final agreement with Turkey and Germany regarding the Bagdad Railway, the King might have added, it was determined to acquire for certain worthy Britons a share in some of the choicest economic plums in the Ottoman Empire. Heading the interests which were thus to be favored was the Right Honorable James Lyle Mackay, Baron Inchcape of Strathnaver, who had been the beneficiary of the aforementioned Mesopotamian naviga