the nineteenth century pointed to Eastern Europe as then most portentous of change, the striking facts of the twentieth had rather ranged themselves in the West.
The East, however, had its share, and the drama there was opened the earliest of the two, by the final break down of "the Sick Man" not very long after our retrospect opens. The fate of himself and his Government had been distinctly expedited by preceding events in Egypt, which had been at least the means of developing the long-smouldering discontent of Mohammedanism with the Turkish Caliphate. Upon the fall of the Turkish power a spiritual Caliphate was established at Mecca, thus restoring the religious supremacy of the Arab element. But by this time the power, learning, and respectability of Mohammedanism was in rapid transit to India.
We seized a favourable opportunity of ridding ourselves of the costs and responsibilities of Cyprus, thus restoring to us the lasting good-will of Russia, and materially increasing our estimation and influence in the European concert. We did not, of course, return the island to Turkish misrule, but placed it independently under European guarantees. We did practically the same with Egypt, after subduing the Arabi rebellion, our disinterestedness, well-nigh unexpected as it was, commanding the applause of the world. But not the less was this course for us a wise and far-seeing policy, as we avoided incorporating with our empire a country so exposed to other Great Powers of the world, and where our own protective insularity was totally lost to us.
We cordially helped Greece to secure, from the
