The views which we ventured last week to express as
to the political effect of the German Emperor's visit to Palestine have received this week much confirmation. The Turkish Govern- ment is publishing inspired articles describing the Emperor as the best friend of Turkey, and promising that the Ottomans will be his firm and persistent allies. They, in fact, believe that Germany will shield them as England formerly did. This disposition, if it continues, is obviously a gain to Ger- many's military strength. On the other hand, the Russians, as we predicted, are getting very angry. Their politicians declare that the just Russian ascendency at Constantinople is being brought to an end, while their clerical chiefs fear that German Protestants will rule in Jerusalem where the pilgrims of the Orthodox Church number ten times those of all other creeds put together. This latter, be it observed, is a cause of jealousy felt by the people of Russia as well as the Court, and is not to be smoothed away by diplomacy. The Roman Catholics of Germany have caught the situation, and are expressing passionate approval of the Emperor's course, though it has irritated the Papacy into verbal imprudences.
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