s England drew nearer to the Dual Alliance, to figure at all
events upon a malevolent neutrality and very likely indeed upon open
hostility. Sir Edward Grey, to be sure, who had not yet escaped from
the anxiety with which English friends of peace were following the
King's trip to Russia, in order to cover up his game, on July 7 had
declared in the lower house, in reply to a question directed to the
Government, that the visit of the King by no means had any diplomatic
significance which might lead to an alliance or to an agreement or to
any kind of a convention; no negotiations were being entered into, he
asserted, for the purpose of concluding a treaty or a convention with
Russia, nor would any such treaty or convention be concluded during
the King's visit. But he went on to say that the visit would have some
political effect, and it was very true that political effect was
desired. "We wish that the visit shall exert a beneficent influence
upon the mutual relations of both empires." Public opinion in England
allowed itself to be satisfied with this equivocal, oracular
statement. In other countries, however, a keener insight was
displayed. THE NEW YORK TIMES judged the situation correctly when it
said: "It is always a mistake to force a warm friend, who is at the
same time a business friend, a blood relative, out of intimate and
useful friendship into bitter antagonism, and this mistake, according
to the judgment of all non-partisan observers of contemporary history,
has been committed by King Edward." When Edward VII. acceded to the
throne, it went on to say, England was a warm friend of Germany and of
the German Emperor, who had given numerous proofs of his friendship,
and was not only willing but anxious to become England's ally; now,
however, the guns of the two nations were, so to speak, pointed at
each other.

[Illustration: H.M. GEORGE V.

King of Great Britain and Ireland and of the British Dominions Beyond
the Seas, Emperor of India

(_Photo from W. & D. Downey_)]

[Illustration: H.I.M. NICHOLAS II.

Czar of All the Russias, and the Grand Duke Alexis Nicholaievitch, the
Heir Apparent

(_Photo from Underwood & Underwood_)]

Such, indeed, was the actual case; a determined malevolence on the
part of the King, the English statesmen, and that newspaper trust
organized by Pearson and Harmsworth, began to mobilize Europe against
Germany, and to incense, by means of cable and telegraph, the judgment
of the wor