Neither, apparently, were the actions of the Germans on the borders of Cape Colony in 1883-84 of a character to excite alarm, suspicion, or even intelligent alertness in the British mind. Lord Derby was not in the least disturbed by the curious inquisitive tone of Bismarck’s despatches relating to South Africa, and Lord Granville failed to comprehend the drift of Bismarck’s anxiety about the German settlement at Angra Pequena, or that the presence of a German warship in South African waters signified anything. When it was too late, however, to prevent the seizure of a large territory neighbouring Cape Colony, the British rubbed their eyes, and found that a European Power, which might make itself unpleasant some day to our South African colonists, had wilfully planted itself in close proximity to the Boer states, with which we had already more than once grave misunderstandings. It was then inferred that a similar move, a little further inland, by either the Boers or Germans, would perpetually confine British South Africa to within the narrow limits of Cape Colony, and a suspicious manœuvre of a German ship of war in Eastern South Africa confirmed the British Government that longer delay would be disastrous to British interests, and the Warren Expedition, which secured to us Bechuanaland, and an open way to the Zambesi, was the result. But before the Berlin Conference of 1884-5 was held, Germany had become the owner of important possessions at various places in Occidental Africa, and was projecting other surprises of a similar kind. During the sittings of the Conference, which had met to decide the future of the Congo, the words and acts of the assembled Plenipotentiaries received due attention from every journal of importance in the United Kingdom, but they did not appear to impress the public mind as closely affecting British interests. Yet much was happening that, had the warning which was sounded occasionally by experts been taken properly to heart, the significance of the Conference would have been easily recognised. On the Continent, however, the diplomatic discussions had a most stimulating effect. The people of every state now studied their African maps with a different purpose from the acquisition of mere geographical knowledge. Societies, miscalled “commercial, geographical, or scientific,” sprang into existence like mushrooms throughout France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and Sweden, and in a short time numerous expeditions, disguised by innocent titles, were prepared for Africa.