Empire, which invited German instructors and the mission of General Liman von Sanders, hoping to perfect its Army with the object of assuring its independence against the Russian danger insinuated by Berlin. Germany, however, took advantage of this penetration into the Turkish Army to make that Army a weapon in realizing her political plans.
All the acts of the Turks since the appearance of the Goeben in the Dardanelles had been committed under the pressure of Germany, but the efforts of the Turks to evade responsibility for these acts could not prevent them from falling into the abyss into which they were rolling. The events on the Russo-Turkish frontier, while covering Russian arms with fresh glory, will bring Russia nearer to the realization of the political and economic problems bound up with the question of Russia's access to the open sea.
The Russian Government disinterestedly endeavoured to alleviate the lot of the Armenians, and the Russo-Turkish agreement of January 26, 1914, is a historical document, in which Turkey recognizes the privileged position of Russia in the Armenian question. When the war ends this exclusive position of Russia will be employed by the Imperial Government in a direction favourable to the Armenian population. Having drawn the sword in the defence of Servia, Russia is acting under the influence of her sentiments towards a sister nation, whose grandeur of soul in the present war has riveted the two countries as by bonds of steel.
The Russian nation looks with satisfaction on the gallantry of Montenegro in fighting as she is doing in the common cause. The relations of Russia with Greece, the tried friend of Servia, are perfectly cordial, and the tendency of the Hellenic people to put an end to the sufferings of their co-religionists groaning under the Ottoman yoke has the entire sympathy of the Imperial Government.
So, too, the relations between Russia and Roumania retain the friendly character which they acquired on the occasion of the visit of the Emperor to Constanza. The constant Russophile demonstrations in Bucharest and throughout the whole country during the autumn has brought into relief the hostile feelings of the Roumanians towards Austria-Hungary.
You are probably waiting, gentlemen, for a reply to a question which interests the whole world, viz., the attitude of those non-combatant countries whose interests counsel them
