like preparations, while its armed
vessels cruising the seas of eastern Asia are threatening our
commerce and that of our ally. Peace of the Far East is thus in
jeopardy.

"Accordingly, our Government and that of his Britannic Majesty,
after full and frank communication with each other, agreed to take
such measures as may be necessary for the protection of the general
interests contemplated in the Agreement of Alliance, and we on our
part, being desirous to attain that object by peaceful means,
commanded our Government to offer with sincerity an advice to the
Imperial German Government. But on the last day appointed for the
purpose, however, our Government failed to receive an answer
accepting their advice. It is with profound regret that we, in spite
of our ardent devotion to the cause of peace, are thus compelled to
declare war, especially at this early period of our reign, and while
we are still in mourning for our lamented mother.

"It is our earnest wish that by the loyalty and valor of our
faithful subjects peace may soon be restored and the glory of the
empire be enhanced."

Germany made no reply to the Japanese declaration. On August 19,
1914, the emperor had sent word to the garrison at Kiao-chau that it
was to defend itself against all attacks made by the Japanese, and
when the commander there heard of the Japanese declaration he issued
a statement in which he invited the Japanese, if they wanted the
place, to come and fight for it.

CHAPTER XXIV

TERRITORIAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL COMPARISONS

The fundamental factor in war is territory. Whether war be viewed
from the point of its relation to the racial characteristics of the
nations who are opposed, or to national rivalries, or to imperial
ambitions, the solid fact remains that war is of peoples who live
upon a certain land domain, who possess frontiers that may be
attacked and must be defended, and whose patriotism coheres with
geographical boundaries. The riches of a country depend upon
territory and the density of population. Consequently the proportion
of men able to bear arms depends upon territory, and the power of
self-maintenance under times of stress--such as a blockade--is again
a territorial question.

The Germanic nations, known as the Central Powers, which were allied
at the opening of the war were the German Empire and the
Austro-Hungarian Empire. The area of the German Empire (exclusive of
colonial possessions) in 1914 was 208,825.