Leadixg Articles in the Reviews. 



201 



ANGLO-GERMAN RELATIONS 



THE OLIVE BRANXII TO 

 ENGLAND. 



]>ARON Marschall in London-. 



An anonvmous writer contributes to the Corre- 

 spondanl of July lo an article on Baron Marschall and 

 the Anglo-German Question. 



Before the last visit of the Kaiser to England there 

 had been some question of the retirement of Count 

 Metternich, we are told. Since that time events have 

 occurred the consequences of which might be serious, 

 and for the new situation new men are necessary. 

 Anglo-German relations cannot remain in their present 

 condition ; either they must become better or worse. 



THE AMBASS.\D0R'S RECORD IN TLRKEV. 



With regard to Baron Marschall's record in Turkey, 

 the writer says the part he has played at Constanti- 

 nople since the new attitude of Germany in the Italo- 

 Turkish War was alone suflicient to make his retention 

 as ambassador to the Sublime Porte impossible. He 

 had won the absolute confidence of Abdul Hamid, and 

 thanks to his influence no German demand was ever 

 refused. Confiding in the assurances of the ambas- 

 sador, the Sultan counted entirely on the friendship 

 of the Kaiser. In certain difficult cases the Baron was 

 .supported by Marshal von der Goltz. When the revo- 

 lution broke out Abdul Hamid sent for Baron 

 .Marschall, but he awaited his arrival in vain. At first 

 the sentiments of the \"oung Turks were ardently 

 Anglophil. As .Midul Hamid had Ijelicved in German 

 assurances, the Committee of Union and Progress be- 

 lieved in the English promises to respect the Treaty ol 

 Berlin. On his return to Turkey Sir G. A. Lowther 

 made a triumphal entry into Constantinople. 



THE TRl TH ABOUT THE NEW APPOINTMENT. 



Baron Marschall let this pass. When, however, the 

 Powers of the Triple Entente, on the attitude of the 

 two Empires of Central Europe, decided to take no 

 action, the Bamn came out of his apparent inaction to 

 persuade the \'oung Turks that the annexation of 

 liosnia and Herzegovina was for their good, and that 

 they might rei kon on the support of the German 

 sword, as did the dethroned Sultan. Everything seems 

 to show that tlie Baron and .Marshal von der Goltz 

 were sincere in tliese Turcophil sentiments. When the 

 ltali<ins aliackeil Tripoli the two Germans did not 

 conceal their s\mpathy for the Mussulmans, but 

 neither did Italy dissemble her surpri.se at the attitude 

 of Baron Marschall. 'ITie Young Turks, stupefied at 

 the aggression o' a Power of the Triplice. of which they 

 considered the Kaiser to be the head, appealed to 

 Berlin. The position of the ambas.--ador became more 

 intoleralilc. and lie had to be recalled. It was then 

 decided to send the " great diplomatist " of Germany 

 to London ; and that is the real truth about the 



" sensational " appointment. It is a mistake to imagine 

 that he is charged with a special mission to bring about 

 an eiilenle between Germany and England. He comes 

 as ambassador under ordinary conditions, but also to 

 resume the negotiations begun by Lord Haldane, and 

 lo end by an entente — if possible. 



WHY THE KAISER IS LESS POPULAR. 



Before examining the conditions or the bases on 

 which an entente between England and Germany might 

 be arrived at, the writer tries to explain the real state 

 of mind of the two countries, and especially that of 

 England. England is always spoken of, he finds, as if 

 English opinion, and indeed opinion in the whole 

 British Empire, was at one on the question of the 

 relations of England and Germany, He reminds his 

 readers that there is in England a war party, though 

 England as a whole is not hostile, but rather the 

 reverse, to an Anglo-German entente. In Germany 

 there are certainly many persons w-ho would gladly see 

 an improvement in the relations of the two countries. 

 While in the last few months more and more English- 

 men have come to favour an entente, in Germany the 

 influences hostile to England remain as serious as ever. 

 The Kaiser, however, is essentially a pacifist and an 

 Anglophil, and he never misses an opportunity to 

 show his affection for England. Indeed, it is to this 

 that he owes a diminution of popularity in his own 

 country. 



GERMAN E.Xl'ANSION IN PUKrUtlLESE LANDS. 



The question is. Will Baron Marschall succeed ? 

 Probably he will, thinks the writer. The Kaiser wishes 

 it. More numerous in England than in Germany are 

 those who desire an agreement. It w ill require long and 

 ardent negotiations. Admitting the limitation of 

 armaments to be out of the question, the writer 

 examines some ol the points on which an arrangement 

 for giving Germany the place in the sun which she so 

 imperiously demands might be possible. Eirst, there 

 is the question of the Bagdad Railwa\', about which 

 no one knows more than Baron Marschall. The role 

 which the Powers are to play in China is another 

 problem. Then allusion is frequently made to the 

 Portuguese colonies, for which " a small compen- 

 sation " is to be oflered to Erance. I.;istly, Zanzibar 

 is mentioned. Germany in East .\frica has need of 

 Zanzibar, and has already attempted to negotiate with 

 England in regard to it. In i8go Germany seemed dis- 

 posed to recognise the French protectorate in Mada- 

 gascar on condition that Erance would recognise 

 Germany's claim to a protectorate on the continental 

 part of the Sultanate of Zanzibar. If the negotiations 

 relating to the entente should now go favourably, it is 

 probable that France would be offered " the small 

 compensation " in the form ol a strip of territory in 

 Portuguese East .\frica. Dr. Karl Peters, writing in 

 the Tag, has frankly declared that the assent of 



