their determination to respect the sanctity of treaties,
but in spite of that rescinded the treaty of 1856 along the lines of
Russia's demands, and the neutrality of the Black Sea was abolished.
A few years later a separate arrangement between Russia and Turkey
made it possible for both of these powers to create and maintain
separate fleets in the Black Sea.

In 1872, as we have already heard, the three European emperors of
Russia, Austria, and Germany met at Berlin and possibly as a result
of that meeting a treaty was signed in 1873 between Germany and
Russia which, however, bearing as it did only the signatures of the
two emperors and of the heads of their respective general staffs,
had neither a real standing nor an important influence in the
affairs of either country.

[Illustration: Europe in 1648-1789, Historical Map.]

Two years later, in 1875, Russia once more acted in concert with
Austria and Germany when the Governments of these three empires
addressed a joint request to Turkey asking for the immediate
institution of reforms in the Balkan dependencies of the Turkish
Empire which were then the center of continuous upheavals and
threatened to disrupt European peace.

Before we continue the consideration of Russia's political history
it will be well to emphasize the chief characteristics of Russian
foreign policy. In western European politics Russia had no direct
interest. In the Near East, however, it was more directly interested
than any other European power with the possible exception of
Austria-Hungary; for not only were most of the European dependencies
of Turkey inhabited by Slavish people or else by races closely
related to them, but it was there also that Russia hoped to gain its
much-needed ice-free seaport. This strong interest of Russia in
Balkan affairs which will be brought out in greater detail in
another place, devoted exclusively to the Balkan question, naturally
brought it continuously in contact with Austria-Hungary. For the
latter's interest in these matters was as strong as was Russia's,
although it was, as we have seen, based on different grounds. This
condition then meant that there was nothing in the way of a strong
friendship or even a possible alliance between Germany and Russia
except Germany's friendship for and alliance with Austria-Hungary
which made it impossible for Germany to support Russia's policy in
the Balkans. As a secondary result of this obstacle to a
Russo-German alli