Energy books

The great nations of Europe made it plain to the little
principality that they would not put a finger in Russia's pie at this
stage of the game. Russia was ready to go to war with her great
neighbour, Austria. Diplomacy--caution, if you will,--made it
imperative that other nations should sit tight and look to their own
knitting, so to say. Not one could afford to be charged with
befriending, even in a round-about way, either of the angry
grumblers.
It was only too well known in diplomatic circles that Russia coveted
the railroads of Graustark, as a means of throwing troops into a
remote and almost impregnable portion of Austria. If the debt were
paid promptly, it would be impossible, according to international
law, for the great White Bear to take over these roads and at least a
portion of the western border of the principality. Obviously, Austria
would be benefitted by the prompt lifting of the debt, but her own
relations with Russia were so strained that an offer to come to the
rescue of Graustark would be taken at once as an open affront and
vigorously resented.


Pages:
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36