o enforce peace between Greece and Turkey.

The combined fleets of these great nations have formed a cordon around the
harbor of Canea, and have blockaded the port, to prevent the Greek
squadron, under Prince George, from entering the harbor.

A cordon is a line of men, ships, or forts, so stationed as to prevent
people from going into, or coming out of the place.

Having done this, the four great Powers proceeded to take possession of
the island, and intend to try and hold it until some settlement is made
between Greece and Turkey.

One hundred men from each of the four fleets have been landed at Canea,
and, with the consent of the Turkish authorities, have raised their flags
over the fortress of the city, as a sign that Crete is under their
protection.

Greece, in the mean while, has sent word to the Powers that she intends to
occupy Crete. She is sending troops there, and raising volunteers and
filling out her reserve force, to be ready for war, if war comes.

This defiance on the part of Greece is worrying the rest of the Powers.
She is too small and insignificant to attempt to brave the wrath of Europe
alone, and there is an uneasy feeling that some one of the great nations
must be secretly backing her.

As usual, when anything goes wrong in Europe, Russia is blamed. Russia has
so long been the naughty girl of Dame Europa's school, that the moment
mischief is in the air Russia is suspected.

If she is in this new trouble, she will have hard work to escape
punishment. She has been posing as the dear friend and protector of Turkey
for the last few weeks, and has put stumbling-blocks in the way of the
other Powers when they have attempted to force the Sultan of Turkey to do
as they wished.

If she has suddenly veered round, and is now encouraging Greece against
Turkey, her conduct will be hard to explain.

It will be interesting to watch what comes of this, for it seems that the
Bismarck revelations, about which you can read in No. 4 of THE GREAT
ROUND WORLD, have brought many strange things to light in European
politics.

You will remember that it was found that Germany had a secret
understanding with Russia, which quite undid her open agreement with
Austria and Italy--the Triple Alliance, as it was called.

Now it appears that nearly all the European nations have been playing the
same sly game.

It would seem that most of them have secret, underhand agreements to play
false to their best friends, whe