THE ENTRANCE OF GERMANY. 327 



immediately came into being ; but though frustrated 

 for the time, she still looks with longing eyes at the 

 object of her desire, and no chance which comes in the 

 way of her astute and indefatigable diplomatists for 

 oiling the wheels of her endeavour is ever allowed to 

 pass by. 



In the meantime, however, another Power, which, 

 in the days of the Berlin Conference, knew little of 

 and cared less for the attractions of the Near East, 

 has raised its voice in the councils of the Turk, and 

 to-day the trumpet-blast of German ambition resounds 

 through the streets of Constantinople. The blandish- 

 ments of Count Hatzfeldt, and the ability and force of 

 character of General von Goltz, paved the way for 

 the magnetic personality of the Emperor William II., 

 who was completely successful in securing the friend- 

 ship of the Sultan, and with the royal visit to Con- 

 stantinople in 1899 a third Power was hurried incon- 

 tinently into the forefront of the theatre of Ottoman 

 diplomacy and intrigue. 



Needless to say, Russia regarded with feelings of 

 undisguised aversion this latest intruder in the field of 

 her hereditary ambition, and the Russian censor has in 

 nowise prevented Russian opinion from sounding loudly 

 in the Russian press, and a novel solution of the Turk- 

 ish imbroglio was a short time ago put tentatively 

 forward. 



A spark was to be applied to the Ottoman volcano, 

 — that was necessary to create an excuse for active 

 operations, — upon which Russia, with England's acqui- 

 escence, should secure the Bosphorus, and England, 

 Russia assenting, should secure Gallipoli and the 

 command of the Dardanelles. With the Bosphorus in 

 her possession, Russia would be content to leave the 

 Mediterranean to others. With Gallipoli fortified and 



