Already the voice of surmises has been heard hinting tentatively at a
possible re-grouping of European Powers. The alliance of the three
Empires is supposed possible. And it may be possible. The myth of
Russia's power is dying very hard--hard enough for that combination to
take place--such is the fascination that a discredited show of numbers
will still exercise upon the imagination of a people trained to the
worship of force. Germany may be willing to lend its support to a
tottering autocracy for the sake of an undisputed first place, and of a
preponderating voice in the settlement of every question in that south-
east of Europe which merges into Asia. No principle being involved in
such an alliance of mere expediency, it would never be allowed to stand
in the way of Germany's other ambitions. The fall of autocracy would
bring its restraint automatically to an end. Thus it may be believed
that the support Russian despotism may get from its once humble friend
and client will not be stamped by that thoroughness which is supposed to
be the mark of German superiority. Russia weakened down to the second
place, or Russia eclipsed altogether during the throes of her
regeneration, will answer equally well the plans of German policy--which
are many and various and often incredible, though the aim of them all is
the same: aggrandisement of territory and influence, with no regard to
right and justice, either in the East or in the West. For that and no
other is the true note of your _Welt-politik_ which desires to live.

The German eagle with a Prussian head looks all round the horizon, not so
much for something to do that would count for good in the records of the
earth, as simply for something good to get. He gazes upon the land and
upon the sea with the same covetous steadiness, for he has become of late
a maritime eagle, and has learned to box the compass. He gazes north and
south, and east and west, and is inclined to look intemperately upon the
waters of the Mediterranean when they are blue. The disappearance of the