The German peril, industrial and commercial, inspires England with fear, and we should know how to turn this situation to our advantage.  Let us do all we can to prevent an entente being arranged which would deprive us of a card and add one to the enemy’s hand.

A war in China between Russia and Great Britain, no matter how it might end, would fulfil Germany’s dream of being delivered from Russia in the East and the Balkans.  This is precisely what William II desires and seeks—­herein pursuing Bismarckian tactics.  France and Russia must, therefore, exercise all their skill to prevent it, and go exceeding warily amidst the intrigues that are now afoot.

What has been the result of the Note which the representatives of the Powers have handed to the Porte, on the initiative of France and Russia, stating that they will never permit the landing of new Turkish forces in Crete?  Merely to prove that Austria and Germany refuse to be parties to these proceedings, and to speak plainly, support the Sultan.  Ah, if Russia could only be kept busy in China!  What a godsend if France could be left alone to play the part of this admirable European Concert, the genial notion of our last Minister of Foreign Affairs!

Germany alone secures her ends, profits by all the disturbances she creates, waxes and grows fat, and William II smiles at the thought of a world-wide kingdom ruled by himself alone.  Once master of the whole earth, he may come to stand face to face with God.

September 11, 1898. [10]

On the occasion of a gala dinner at Hanover, William II, always in a hurry to display his likes and everlastingly parading his dislikes, did not fail to seize the opportunity of being polite to England and uncivil to France.  He proposed a toast to the health of the 10th Army Corps, recalling to memory the brotherhood of arms between Englishmen and Germans at Waterloo; he glorified the victory of the Sirdar, Kitchener, in the Soudan.

A few days later, speaking of peace, the German Emperor, King of Prussia, let fly his Parthian arrow at his august brother, the Tzar.  At Porta, in Westphalia, he said:  “Peace can only be obtained by keeping a trained army ready for battle.  May God grant that ’e may always be able to work for the maintenance of peace by the use of this good and sharp-edged weapon.”

Nothing could have been more bluntly expressed; it is now perfectly clear that the reduction of armaments has no place in the dreams of William II.  I know not by what subterfuge he will pretend to approve of a Congress “to prepare for universal peace,” but I know that, for him, the dominating and absorbing interest of life lies in conquest, in victories, in war.  Turkey victorious, America victorious, England victorious—­these are the lights that lead him on.  He excels at gathering in the inheritance won for him by his own people, and he likes to have a share also in the successes of others.  He has had his share in Turkey and has filed his application in America.  He is already beginning with England in China and speculating with Great Britain in Delagoa Bay, under the eyes of his greatly distressed friends of the Transvaal.