le
might endanger the safety of her own communications with India. In the
years immediately preceding the outbreak of the Great War the danger
from Germany made other quarrels of much less importance, and England's
disagreement with Russia over her desire for a trade outlet was
forgotten.

EUROPEAN AMBITIONS IN THE BALKANS.--Russia has always felt a strong
interest in the small nations of the Balkan peninsula. Their inhabitants
are for the most part Slavs, of the same race as the Russians
themselves, and they have naturally looked upon the great Slavic empire
of the Czars as their protector. There was, moreover, a pan-Slavic party
in Russia, i.e. a group who looked forward to a union of all the Slav
nations under the leadership of Russia. The pan-Slavic movement had its
beginning in the help Russia had given these states in their revolt from
Turkey.

Russia's aims and hopes in the Balkans were strongly opposed by
Austria-Hungary. That state has long felt the need of seaports to the
southeast and has hoped, with German support, to secure an outlet on the
AEgean and to control the whole course of the Danube. This purpose could
be accomplished only by annexing a large part of the Balkan peninsula.
The Balkan situation, therefore, brought Russia and Austria face to face
in opposition to each other. It was one of the most serious instances of
international rivalry in the period before the war.

Italy also was interested in the Balkan question. She saw that if the
Austrians should annex the Balkan lands lying to the south they would
control the whole eastern shore of the Adriatic. Italian interests and
ambitions would suffer. This fear, added to the constant bitterness
caused by the problem of Italia Irredenta, inflamed the hostility of
Italy toward Austria.

Finally, Turkey also had an interest in the Balkan situation. She hoped
to benefit by the various jealousies of the great powers. She believed
that fear of a general war would keep all of them from making any move
in the Balkans and so would prolong her own shaky existence as a
European state.

RIVAL COLONIAL EMPIRES.--Some time after the establishment of the
German Empire, her rapidly growing wealth, population, and trade led her
to regret the opportunities for colonial expansion that she had missed.
She cast jealous eyes upon the vast colonial possessions of other
nations. She also took what was left over,--several large regions of
Africa, a port in China, a few