rectly after declaring war against Germany, Great Britain took over two Turkish battle ships then in course of construction in England, which had been ordered by the Turkish gov ernment. These vessels, the Sultan Osman and Reshadieh, were renamed Agincourt and Erin and were added to the Bntish navy. The Turicish people were offended at this action, but they had little regard for the Young Turk . Party ruled by Talaat Bey and Enver Bey. • It was announced that the Goebel. and Breslau had been purchased by Turkey to replace the other two vessels, but it soon became evident that the German ships, while flying the Turkish flag, were commanded and manned by Germans. They were repaired under Gerrnan direction and made cruises in the 131ack Sea. The Allies protested against this procedure when Turkey suddenly denounced the capitulations under which European residents in Turkey had always enjoyed extra-territorial rights (9 Sept. 1914). Finally, on 29 October, the Brawn and some Turkish war craft appeared off the Crimea and bombarded Theodosia and Novo rossisk at the entrance to the Sea of' Azov, both trnfortified towns. The Allied ambas • sadors in Constantinople had their telegraphic communications cut off and could not get in _much with their governments. A ,Turkish ...tiaatni shelled Odessa on qo October and the bombarded Sevastopol on 2 November, although Turkey was still at peace with Russia. The Turlcish ambassadors in Undon and Paris stated that their government was acting under duress, that the German guns had been turned upon Constantinople, and that an apology would be forthcoming. CM 3 November a joint Brit
ish and French squadron bombarded the en trance forts of the Dardanelles, and two days later Great Britain declared war cm Turkey, simultaneously annexing Cyprus. The khedive of Egypt, Abbas Hilmt II (q.v.), was at the time m Constantinople plotting with the Turks and Germans to oust the British; whereupon the latter deposed him, proclaimed Egypt a British protectorate, and appointed his uncle, Hussein Kamil, sultan. Russia, meanwhile, invaded Asia Minor from the Caucasus. Ac cording to the Greek (White Book) laid be fore the Greek Chamber on 18 Aug. 1917, M. Theotokis, Greek minister at Berlin, tele graphed to Athens from Berlin the day Great BntMn declared war against Germany (4 Aug. 1914)': gThe Emperor informs me that an Alliance has to-day been concluded between Germany and Turkey. Bulgaria and Rumania are also taking their stand alongside of Ger many . . . The Emperor added, (What I ask to-day is the execution of what the two sovereigns [of Gertnany and Greece] have often discussed)) Italy came in against Austria on 23 Ma,y 1915, and Bulgaria against Serbia on 14 October of the same year. On 19 Oct. 1915 Italy declared war on Bulgaria. In March 1916 Portugal precipitated a crisis with Ger many by seizing 36 Austrian and German ships in the Tagus, and on the 9th of the month Germany issued a declaration of war. See GItEAT BRITAIN AND THE WORLD WAR; FRANCE AND THE WAR; GERMANY AND THE WAR; ITALY ANS THE WORLD WAR; UNITED STATES AND THE EUROPEAN WAR; WAR, EUROPEAN - AMERICAN Netrntaurv, etc.