If I were drawing a map of Europe—a diplomatic map, that is,—as it was in the years of 1908 to 1910, I should use only two colors, Germany should be, let us say, black; England red. But the black of Germany should extend over the surfaces of Austria, Italy and Turkey; while France and Russia should be crimson. The rest of the continent would be of various tints, ranging from a discordant combination of red and black, through a pinkish gray, to an innocuous and neutral white. In the race to secure protective alliances against the inevitable conflict, both Germany and England were diligently attempting to color these indeterminate territories with their own particular hue. Not least important among the courted nations were Spain and Portugal. Both were traditionally English in sympathy; both had shown unmistaken signs, at least so far as the ruling classes were concerned, of transferring their friendship to Germany. It was inevitable, therefore, that these two countries should be the scene of a diplomatic conflict which, if not apparent to the outsider, was fought with the utmost bitterness by both sides. Somehow, by good fortune rather than any other agency—Spain had managed to avoid a positive alliance with either nation. Alfonso was inclined to be pro-German at that time; but an adroit juggling of the factions in his kingdom had prevented him from using his influence to the advantage of Germany. Portugal was in a different situation. Poorer in resources than her neighbor, and hampered by the necessity of keeping up a colonial empire which in size was second only to England’s, she had greater need of the protection of one of the Powers. Traditionally—and rightly from a standpoint of self-interest—that Power should have been England. There were but three obstacles to the continuance of the friendship that had existed since the Peninsular War—King Manuel, the Queen Mother and the Church. Germany seemed all-powerful in the Peninsula in 1908. Alfonso’s friendship was secured, and the boy king of Portugal was completely under the thumb of a pro-German mother and a Church which, as between Germany and England, disliked Germany the less. England realized the situation and in approved diplomatic fashion set about regaining her ascendancy. But diplomacy failed. At the end of two years Berlin was more strongly intrenched in Portugal than ever; and England knew that only heroic measures could save her from a serious diplomatic defeat. Then Manuel did a foolish thing. He kept a diary.