be strong
enough to keep order there, Austria was to take control of them and
run their government, although their taxes were still to be paid to
Turkey. Austria solemnly agreed never to take them from Turkey.
Russia, naturally, was very unhappy over this arrangement, and so were
the inhabitants of the Balkan kingdoms, for they had hoped that now
they were at last to be freed from the oppression of their ancient
enemies, the Turks. Thus the Congress of Berlin, like that of Vienna
in 1815 laid the foundation for future wars and revolutions.

Bismarck now set out to strengthen Germany by making alliances with
other European states. He first made up with his old enemy, Austria.
Thanks to the liberal treatment that he had given this country after
her disastrous war of 1866, he was able to get the Austrians to join
Germany in an alliance which states that if two countries of Europe
should ever attack one of the two allies, the other would rush to her
help.

The Italians were friendly to Germany, for they remembered that they
had gotten Venetia from Austria through the help of the Prussians, but
they had always looked upon the Austrians as their worst enemies. It
was a wonderful thing, then, when Bismarck finally induced Italy to
join with Austria and Germany in a "Dreibund" or "Triple Alliance."

The Italian people had been very friendly to the French, and this
going over to their enemies would never have been possible but for an
act of France which greatly angered Italy. For many years, France had
been in control of Algeria on the north coast of Africa. This country
had once been a nest of pirates, and the French had gone there
originally to clean them out. Next to Algeria on the east is the
county of Tunis, which, as you will see by the map, is very close to
Sicily and Italy. The Italians had been looking longingly at this
district for some time, intending to organize an expedition and
forcibly annex it to their kingdom. They waited too long, however, and
one fine day in 1881 they found the prize gone,--France had seized
this county for herself. It was Italy's anger over this act of France
more than anything else that enabled Bismarck to get her into an
alliance with Germany and her ancient enemy, Austria.

France now saw herself hemmed in on the east by a chain of enemies. It
looked as though Bismarck might declare war upon the republic at any
time, and be perfectly safe from interference, with Austria and Italy
to p