o had absorbed the German ideas. Von der
Goltz, a German general, had reorganized the Turkish army. The
access of Turkey to the Central Powers formed the addition of
another thirty million people, which gave them one hundred and fifty
million on their side.

Through the assistance of the Turks, the Germans never for a moment
deserting their idea of keeping the initiative and forcing their
enemies to follow it, threatened an offensive against the Suez
Canal, which was abortive, but served the purpose of requiring
British preparation for its defense. Germany saw more than mere
military advantage in the Turkish adventure. She was reaching out
into the Mohammedan world which stretches across Persia and Asia
Minor, through little known and romantic regions, to India where, as
a part of her Indian Empire, England rules more Mohammedans than the
population of the German Empire. The unrest which was reported to
have been ripe in India for the last decade might thus be brought to
a head in a rebellion against British authority; as it might, too,
in Egypt, the Sultan of Turkey being the Padishah or head of the
Mohammedan faith.

At least Britain would be forced to maintain larger garrisons than
usual both in Egypt and India against any threat of insurrection.
Among all who have had to deal with the Oriental peoples, and
particularly those who know them as intimately as the British rulers
of India, the importance of power--and publicly demonstrated
power--is fully understood. To the average British Indian or
Egyptian subject, Britain has been an unconquerable country, the
mistress of the world.

Many reasons united in calling for some action on the part of the
British to offset that of the Germans. With Russia in retreat the
Balkan States, which had regarded her prowess as irresistible, were
losing their faith in the Allies. One successful blow would do more
to dispel their skepticism and to bring Italy in on the side of the
Allies than sheafs of diplomatic cablegrams and notes. During such a
crisis every message in the game of war diplomacy becomes only a
polite calling card that represents armed men.

The British decided to take the initiative though their new army had
as yet received hardly sufficient training to make them soldiers and
their supply of rifles, guns and munitions was insufficient. Indeed,
England was just beginning to awaken fully to the fact that the
forces of France and Russia alone were insufficient to c