For centuries Russia has been so much more powerful than Turkey that she
would surely have taken possession of Constantinople if the other
nations of Europe had not interfered. On two different occasions during
the nineteenth century England came to the assistance of the Turkish
Empire and saved Constantinople from the Czar. Great Britain was led to
take this action through fear that Russian control of Constantinople
might endanger the safety of her own communications with India. In the
years immediately preceding the outbreak of the Great War the danger
from Germany made other quarrels of much less importance, and England's
disagreement with Russia over her desire for a trade outlet was
forgotten.

EUROPEAN AMBITIONS IN THE BALKANS.--Russia has always felt a strong
interest in the small nations of the Balkan peninsula. Their inhabitants
are for the most part Slavs, of the same race as the Russians
themselves, and they have naturally looked upon the great Slavic empire
of the Czars as their protector. There was, moreover, a pan-Slavic party
in Russia, i.e. a group who looked forward to a union of all the Slav
nations under the leadership of Russia. The pan-Slavic movement had its
beginning in the help Russia had given these states in their revolt from
Turkey.

Russia's aims and hopes in the Balkans were strongly opposed by
Austria-Hungary. That state has long felt the need of seaports to the
southeast and has hoped, with German support, to secure an outlet on the
Ægean and to control the whole course of the Danube. This purpose could
be accomplished only by annexing a large part of the Balkan peninsula.
The Balkan situation, therefore, brought Russia and Austria face to face
in opposition to each other. It was one of the most serious instances of