tion
that a new diplomatic rupture between the two countries was averted.

In anticipation of this eventuality Turkey secured two battleships of
the dreadnought type, the Brazilian Rio de Janeiro (then Sultan Osman
I. and afterward H.M.S. Erin, England having taken over the ship on
Aug. 5, 1914) and the Reshadieh, (likewise taken over by England and
renamed H.M.S. Agincourt,) and was preparing for war in such haste
that Greece did not hesitate to buy at the original cost price the two
old American battleships Idaho and Mississippi, (now Limnos and
Kilkis.)

This was in July, 1914, just a few weeks before the European war.
Since that time Greco-Turkish relations have been neither better nor
worse. It must be said here that these relations had their origin, not
in the obsolete London Treaty of May, 1913, but in the Treaty of
Athens, signed in December, 1913, between the two countries, and
covering in a general way the more essential points of the outstanding
questions between the two parties, excluding, however, the Aegean
Islands controversy.

After signing the Treaty of Bucharest Bulgaria turned her attention
exclusively to Turkey, and, letting bygones be bygones, concluded the
Peace Treaty of Constantinople in October, 1913, and inaugurated the
most friendly relations with her erstwhile opponent. Since that time
the report has spread that an alliance, both offensive and defensive,
had been signed by the two countries, but this has been repeatedly
denied both from Constantinople and Sofia.

The diplomatic relations between Servia and Turkey and Montenegro and
Turkey were re-established a short time before the European war, but
these countries, being now in no direct contact with Turkish
territory, their relations with the Porte are of little importance.

Between Bulgaria on one hand and Rumania, Greece, Servia, and
Montenegro on the other, the diplomatic relations have been
re-established, but gone is the old friendship, for reasons already
explained. Greece, Servia, and Montenegro are the best of friends,
and, according to unofficial and confidential reports, a defensive and
offensive alliance for the maintenance of the Balkan status quo,
exists between the three countries. Between Rumania and Greece
friendly relations exist, and for some time it was said that a
marriage was to be arranged between the Greek Crown Prince, George,
and the Princess Elizabeth, daughter of the Rumanian King, Ferdinand
I., who succeed