346 VENEZUELA AND AFTER 



dreamed horrid dreams. Periodical literature 

 teemed with speculation as to the influence of 

 the American position on the various ententes 

 and numerical alliances, dual, triple, quadruple, 

 on which the peace of the world was supposed 

 to rest. The navy of the United States was 

 taken in hand by the theoretical experts, and 

 subjected to the mathematical scrutiny from 

 which the guild derives its sufficient conclu 

 sions as to future relations of the nations. 

 Almost before the Treaty of Portsmouth was 

 ratified, the prophets had the broad breast of 

 the Pacific tumultuous with the rivalry of 

 America and Japan and convulsed with hypo 

 thetical battles. The results on the combat 

 ants and the wider effects on mankind at large 

 naturally varied with the fancy of the prophets, 

 but in no case were unworthy of the occasion, 

 or failed to involve a startling change in the 

 political equilibrium of the world. 



Amid all the disquiet and suspicion created 

 by the entrance of the United States upon its 

 new role, there was no deviation on the part 

 of Great Britain from the attitude of admir 

 ing welcome to the republic. No prognostica 

 tions of disastrous rivalry wherein the pride 

 of Britain would be humbled and there was 



