Trench and camp. ([Admiral, Md.) 1917-1919, 1918-06-27

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for the Peace Of Europe.
OF this alliance Russia soon tired
The presence of powerful and united
empire as a neighbor was found much
less pleasing than the presence Of
ly-held- together confederation.
France had recognized her military
and In 1875 another Franco German
war seemed imminent. With more of
its characteristic cunning, Germany
sought to learn from Russia whether
the semi benevolent neutrality as that
of 1901 might be depended upon.
But Russia was non-committal; and
her failure to give Germany the re-
quested assurances portended a
Franco Russian alliance.
The termination of the Russo
Turkish War opened the eyes of Rus
sia, which had expected the support
of its allies in the Dreikaiserbund-
Bismarck, as president of the Con-
gress of Berlin, failed utterly to salts
fy Russia, which was looking for a
commercial outlet in the Aegean and
thence to the Orient. He announced
that he would refrain from taking
sides with any of the contending par
ties and would con6ne himself to play
ing the part of an honest broker"
Bismarck, scrupulous in his fulfil
ment of his promise to Austria, ig-
nore.: the letter of his Imperial Mas
ter to the Gear Alexander II, and
Russia was compelled to make many
concessions and to find her victory
more dearly-bought even than she had
feared.
ENTER THE TRIPLE ALLIANCE
The Dreikaiserbund was no longer
possible and a new alliance directed
against Russia was formed This was
the so-ca1led Triple Alliance with Ger
many, Austria Hungary and Italy as
the members.
Russia and France were thus thrown
closer together. The coalition was
greatly feared by Bismarck and he
made an effort to revive the Drei-
kaiserbund. This effort proved abor-
tive. In 1890 a secret treaty with
Russia that had been negotiated by
Bismarck was allowed to lapse be-
cause the Gear Alexander III knew
the duplicity.
The Triple Alliance represented so
great a coalition that France and Rus
STA found it necessary to come to-
gether. The Gear of Russia had little
faith in the Government of France
He knew, too, the smouldering hatred
of the French for the Germans and
hesitated to ally his government with
that of the French because he felt that
the existence of the alliance might in
duce France to provoke a war with
Germany. The Alliance was eagerly
sought by the French but it was many
years before it was consummated, and
when it was actually effected it did
not afford the joy to the French peo-
pie that they had anticipated.
In 19O4-5 the Russo japanese War
resulted in a tremendous drain on the
resources of Russia. The Triple ALI
ance seemed to France to be too pow
erful coalition to be resisted only by
the Republic and an enfeebled ally
like Russia. So France looked toward
England and the so-called ENTENTE
CORDIALE was effected
While France had been bulwarking
her position through her covenant
with England, Germany had noted
with eager interest the succession of
disasters to Russian arms in Man
churia. One year before Germany
and England had exchanged many ex-
pressions of good viii and King Ed
ward and Emperor William had WIS.,
tied each others domain. Germany
now assumed the aggressive.
The German Emperor landed at
Tangier and is reported to have prom
ised his aid to the Moroccan Sultan in
resisting French control. It was dur
ing the same year that the Kaiser
made his theatrical pilgrimage to the
Holy Land. The idea Of world domin-
ion was becoming the ruling passion
of his life.
The Moroccan dispute assumed
large proportions and war between
France and Germany again seemed
imminent. A French Cabinet crisis
was precipitated but war was averted.
Thus far the coalitions in Europe
that had been achieved were the Tn
pie Alliance on the one hand; and
agreements with France and Russia,
and with France and England, on the
other. Between England and Russia
there was no entente.
In 1907 an agreement between Eng
land and Russia was Effected and in
1908 It was strengthened by q visit of
King Edward to the Gear.
BALKANS ARE STORM CENTRE
The Triple Alliance and the Tribe
Entente were calculated to preserve
the peace of Europe ) but the seething
eauldron Of the Balkans was still to be