[3] He explained, three years afterwards, that at the time of making his offer of 18 Aug., 1914, he bore in mind "the impossibility of going to Servia's assistance on account of the danger from Bulgaria."--_Orations_, p. 93. But precisely similar was the objection to going against Turkey without a guarantee of Bulgarian neutrality: only the Bulgars, in the one case, would have been on Greece's left flank and in the other on the right. The truth seems to be that the vision of M. Venizelos lacked the penetration which, in matters of this sort, can only come from long study and reflection. [4] First Memorandum, 11/24 Jan., in the _Nea Hellas_, 21 March (O.S.), 1915. [5] Gennadius, London, 10 Aug. (O.S.), 1914. [6] _Orations_, p. 43. [7] Second Memorandum, 17/30 Jan., in the _Nea Hellas_, 22 March (O.S.), 1915. [8] See his own statement in the _Nea Hellas_, 22 March (O.S.), 1915. [9] Dragoumis, Petrograd, 16 Feb., 1915. [10] Dardanelles Commission, First Report, pp. 14-5, 31-3; Final Report, pp. 6-8. [11] Deville, pp. 163, 215. [12] _Orations_, pp. 103, 104. [13] Dardanelles Commission, Supplement to First Report, p. 3. [14] _Orations_, pp. 105-6. [15] See Extracts from the Crown Council Minutes, in the _Balkan Review_, Dec., 1920, pp. 384-5, which supplement M. Venizelos's very meagre account of these proceedings in _Orations_, pp. 107-8. [16] _Orations_, pp. 266-7. [17] _Ibid_, pp. 267-8. [18] Venizelos to Greek Legations, London, Paris, Petrograd, 20 Feb./5 March, 1915. [19] _Orations_, p. 267. [20] Gennadius, London, 21 Feb.; Sicilianos, Paris, 22 Feb.; Dragoumis, Petrograd, 22 Feb. (O.S.), 1915. [21] _White Book_, No. 37. [22] "Conversation with M. Demidoff," Politis, Athens. 25 Feb./10 March, 1915. [23] _Orations_, pp. 108, 113-14. {33} CHAPTER IV Immediately after the resignation of M. Venizelos it was decided to dissolve the Chamber and to have General Elections, in which for the first time the territories conquered in 1912-13 would participate. Meanwhile, the King called upon M. Gounaris, a statesman of considerable ability, though with none of the versatility of mind and audacity of character which distinguished his predecessor, to carry on the Government and to preside over the elections. Under ordinary circumstances these would have taken place at once. But owing to the need of preparing electoral lists for the new provinces, they were delayed till 13 June, and owing to a serious illness of King Constantine which supervened--causing intense anxiety throughout the nation and bringing political life to a standstill--two more months passed before the new Parliament met. The interval proved fruitful in developments of far-reaching importance.