the Ottoman Empire is filled with mystery, romance and
stories of intrigue, cruelty and barbarities, involving internal wars,
uprisings, almost continuous struggles with practically all of the
European countries and massacres that aroused the whole world. Legend
assigns Oghuz, son of Kara Khan, father of the Ottoman Turks, whose
first appearance in history dates back to 1227 A.D.

The reign of Abd-ul-Aziz in the latter part of the last century was
marked by many massacres and the extravagant conduct of affairs by the
Sultan, who visited England in 1876 and was honored by Queen Victoria,
who bestowed upon him the Order of the Garter. He was deposed and
Abd-ul-Hamid succeeded. He made feeble attempts to reorganize the
Government, but his efforts were fruitless and following wars and
uprisings and further internal troubles and the loss of territory he was
deposed and the present Sultan was chosen.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE WAR'S WHO'S WHO.

STRIKING FIGURES IN THE CONFLICT--JOFFRE, THE HERO OF
MARNE--NIVELLE, THE FRENCH COMMANDER--SIR DOUGLAS HAIG--THE
KAISER'S CHANCELLOR--VENIZELOS--"BLACK JACK" PERSHING.

One of the most striking figures among those whose names are irrevocably
linked with the history of the world fight for democracy, is that of
Joseph Joffre, Marshal of France, former Commander of the French forces
and victor of the famous battle of the Marne, who led the French Mission
to the United States, after America entered the war.

The Commander-in-Chief of all the French armies, a man of humble birth,
saw the light of day at Perpignan, near the Pyrenees, in 1852.

The future General early showed a deep interest in mathematics and
obtained the degree of Bachelor of Science at the College of Perpignan
at the early age of 16. He was a student at the Polytechnic Institute
when the Franco-German War of 1870 broke out. Joffre was placed in
charge of a large part of the defense of Paris and drew the plans of the
fortifications in the direction of Enghein. At the age of 19 he was
promoted to Captaincy in the presence of Marshal MacMahon and his whole
staff.

Marshal Joffre traveled much and spent a great many years fighting
France's colonial wars. He served in the Formosa campaign of 1885;
constructed a chain of forts at Tonkin, Cochin-China; was decorated for
distinguished bravery in leading his troops in action there in the
eighties; was Chief Engineer of the Engineering Corps at Hanoi, and
undertook the b