Some Liberal newspapers have received with curious credulity a statement
published in a few German newspapers at the end of last week that the recent action of the Turkish Government in granting the Lynch concession was determined by its knowledge of the existence of an Anglo-German Agree- ment as to armaments. A desenti of the statement has been issued by the German Foreign Office, but has not been sufficient to prevent sentimental optimists here from piecing together the statement and the news of the reopening by Germany of negotiations about the Baghdad Railway, and convincing themselves that an understanding with Germany as to armaments is in the air. Yet one would think that the domenti from the German Foreign Office was explicit enough. " False news," it said, "can in no way alter the Lynch con- cession, and can at most produce the belief in England that Germany is capable of being induced to modify her ship- building programme." It passes our comprehension how any one can still suppose that Germany would welcome an agree- ment as to armaments since she made it so clear that she regarded Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman's sincere advances as an absurd attempt to induce her to consent to permanent inferiority.
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