Later I learned the reasons why I had been sent to Port Arthur.
Germany desired to ascertain the exact relative strength of the Port
Arthur defenses and Russian positions in the Far East for the
following reasons:

Since the time of Frederick the Great, the only power on the Continent
which Germany has feared and has always been loath openly to quarrel
with, is Russia. Through the setback she received in the Far East in
1905, her influence steadily decreased in the Balkans and the recent
fiasco of Russian machinations during the Balkan war, has made her
become a secondary factor for decades to come. Germany, through her
keen Intelligence Department, foresaw the result of the Russo-Japanese
conflict and immediately set about to undermine and destroy Russian
influence south of the Austrian border.

By Russia's defeat in the East, the balance of the power was
completely shifted. It gave Germany and Austria the desired
opportunities and a free hand in the Balkans and Turkey. Had Germany
through her Intelligence Department found Russia invulnerable in the
East, the map of the Balkans would have to be painted in different
colors--as you will see.


Chapter IV. At the Sublime Porte

I was back in Berlin from my mission to the Far East on March 10,
1905. The next four months were rather commonplace--odd little
commissions of no particular interest or importance.