Sea Communications Are Established 107 VI THE BAGDAD RAILWAY BECOMES AN IMPERIAL ENTERPRISE 120 Political Interests Come to the Fore 120 Religious and Cultural Interests Reënforce Political and Economic Motives 131 Some Few Voices Are Raised in Protest 137 VII RUSSIA RESISTS AND FRANCE IS UNCERTAIN 147 Russia Voices Her Displeasure 147 The French Government Hesitates 153 French Interests Are Believed to be Menaced 157 The Bagdad Railway Claims French Supporters 165 VIII GREAT BRITAIN BLOCKS THE WAY 176 Early British Opinions Are Favorable 176 The British Government Yields to Pressure 180 Vested Interests Come to the Fore 189 Imperial Defence Becomes the Primary Concern 195 British Resistance is Stiffened by the Entente 202 IX THE YOUNG TURKS ARE WON OVER 217 A Golden Opportunity Presents Itself to the Entente Powers 217 The Germans Achieve a Diplomatic Triumph 222 The German Railways Justify Their Existence 229 The Young Turks Have Some Mental Reservations 235 X BARGAINS ARE STRUCK 239 The Kaiser and the Tsar Agree at Potsdam 239 French Capitalists Share in the Spoils 244 The Young Turks Conciliate Great Britain 252 British Imperial Interests Are Further Safeguarded 258 Diplomatic Bargaining Fails to Preserve Peace 266 XI TURKEY, CRUSHED TO EARTH, RISES AGAIN 275 Nationalism and Militarism Triumph at Constantinople 275 Asiatic Turkey Becomes One of the Stakes of the War 279 Germany Wins Temporary Domination of the Near East 287 “Berlin to Bagdad” Becomes but a Memory 292 To the Victors Belong the Spoils 300 “The Ottoman Empire is Dead. Long Live Turkey!” 303 XII THE STRUGGLE FOR THE BAGDAD RAILWAY IS RESUMED 314 Germany is Eliminated and Russia Withdraws 314 France Steals a March and is Accompanied by Italy 318 British Interests Acquire a Claim to the Bagdad Railway 327 America Embarks on an Uncharted Sea 336 INDEX 355 MAPS The Railways of Asiatic Turkey _Frontispiece_