Germany was in a position
where, sooner or later, she would be forced to act. Before this
mission the Kaiser was in the dark. France, Russia and England did
not have their cards on the table. He did not know which countries
would remain neutral in case of war with France. He had suspected
that there was some sort of an understanding brewing against him. The
results of my mission--learning of Sir Edward Grey's message to
Delcasse, Delcasse's meeting with Prince Galitzin of Russia--confirmed
this beyond all doubt.
But how strong was this alliance? How close would England stick to
France? This he did not know. He only knew that there was a sort of
an agreement, and to find out just how strong was the bond between
England and France, he used a master stroke of diplomacy. He brought
the Moroccan question to a crisis, long before it was anticipated; he
sent the warship _Panther_ into Agadir Harbor and forced England and
France to show their hands. How close war was averted, only four
persons knew at that time--the Captain of the _Panther_, von Wedel,
the Kaiser and myself. And how Europe just missed being plunged into
a tremendous war I shall tell of in my secret mission that nipped war
in the bud.
I came near forgetting. For his discretion at Monte Carlo, the Czar
rewarded Prince Galitzin by transferring him to a province in Siberia.
Chapter VII.
Pages:
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119