Semper Eadem " Germany earnestly desires a conflict between Japan
and the United States, with A secret reservation that, while both would be exhausted, Germany should win." So runs a minute, dated January 13th, 1908, by Sir Eyre Crowe, appended to a despatch from the British Military Attaché in Berlin, recounting some rather jaunty remarks which the German Emperor had just made to him. To it one of the rare minutes by King Edward is added. " On what grounds," asks the King a little searchingly, " is above statement made? " To that Sir Eyre Crowe replies, giving as authority a high German naval officer, who " has explained more than once, what indeed we know well from other sources, that America is a country of which Germany is really afraid, because it cannot be tackled by her, or exposed directly or indirectly through other Powers." The main statement is probably still true today, the statements adduced as explanation not quite so true.
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