the
sultan that he didn't have to pay any attention to France.

There was a great deal of excitement over this incident, and a meeting
was held at Algeciras, Spain, where representatives of all the great
powers came together. In the end, France and England were upheld, for
even Italy, Germany's ally, voted against the Germans. On the other
hand, Delcasse, the Frenchman who settled the Fashoda trouble, was
compelled to resign his position as minister of foreign affairs
because the Germans objected to him, and the French felt that Germany
had humiliated them.

In 1908, the "young Turk" party in Constantinople (the party which
stood for progress and for more popular government) drove the old
sultan off his throne, and announced that there should be a Turkish
parliament, or congress, to which all parts of the empire should send
representatives.

You will remember that two counties of the Turkish empire, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, had been turned over to Austria to rule by the Congress
of Berlin in 1878. Austria at the time solemnly promised that she
would never try to annex these provinces. In 1908, however, she forgot
all about her promise. When Bosnia and Herzegovina wanted to elect men
to represent them in the new Turkish parliament, Austria calmly told
them that after this they should consider themselves part of the
Austrian Empire, that they belonged to Turkey no longer.

The two provinces were inhabited largely by Serbs, and all Serbia had
looked forward to the day when they should once more be joined to
herself. These states, like Montenegro, had been part of the ancient
kingdom of Serbia. As long as they were in dispute between Austria and
Turkey, Serbia had hopes of regaining them, but when Austria thus
forcibly annexed them, it seemed to the Serbs that they were lost
forever.

Serbia appealed to Russia, for as was said, all the Slavic states look
upon Russia as their big brother. The Russians were highly indignant
at this breaking of her promises by Austria, and the czar talked of
war. His generals and war ministers, however, dissuaded him. "Oh, no,
your majesty," said they, "we are in no shape to fight Austria and
Germany. Our army was badly disorganized in the Japanese war three
years ago, and we shall not be ready for another fight for some time
to come." Russia protested, but the German emperor notified her that
he stood by Austria, and asked Russia if she was ready to fight.
Russia and France were not re