esident Kruger, after the
predatory invasion of Dr. Jameson had been fortunately repelled, was
received very unfavorably in England, and led to demonstrations on
the part of the British fleet, which, although they had a very
provocative character, remained finally without lasting effect. The
impression was created, however, that public opinion in England was
very easily excited; it saw itself disturbed in the execution of a
thoroughly considered political plan, and, as it were, caught in
flagranti. But the fact that there were still deeper reasons for a
gradually increasing mistrust of Germany is brought to light by
Wilson's book, published in 1896, which, under the title "Made in
Germany," developed a program of battle against Germany's rapidly
growing economic power. Since then all steps taken by Germany in the
pursuit of its internal as well as its external policy have been
viewed with extraordinary disapprobation on the part of England. The
adoption of our Naval bill by the Reichstag on March 28, 1898, the
foundation of the Naval League two days later, the new East-Asiatic
policy of Germany, which in the leasing of Kiao-Chau was exemplified
in a manner not at all to the liking of the English politicians, the
Emperor's trip to the Orient, which led to friendly relations between
Turkey and Germany--all this was looked upon with the more displeasure
in view of the fact that Emperor William in the Summer of 1895 had
emphatically rejected a plan, proposed to him by Lord Salisbury, to
divide up Turkey. In August, 1898, nevertheless, when the Fashoda
crisis had strained the relations of England and France to the utmost,
and when, at the same time, English-Russian relations were becoming
critical in the Far East, an understanding between Germany and
England, which might perhaps have the character of an alliance, seemed
to be quite possible. Secretary of State von Buelow and the English
Ambassador, Sir Frank Lascelles, took up the matter very earnestly,
but it was impossible to secure from England the assurance that the
entire English Government and Parliament would sanction an alliance.
Russia warded off the menacing danger of a war with England by means
of the well-known proposal which on May 18, 1899, led to the holding
of the Disarmament Conference in The Hague, and Delcasse on Jan. 20,
1899, began, with reference to the Fashoda affair, the policy of
retreat, which excluded France from the Nile territory. Then came
Engla