“Yes—plans for them.”
The captain glanced instinctively at the box beside Neeland’s chair, but his features remained incurious.
“Turkey is supposed to be the ally of Germany,” he said.
“I’ve heard so. I know that the Turkish army is under German officers. But—if war should happen, is it likely that this ramshackle nation which was fought to a standstill by the Balkan Alliance only a few months ago would be likely to take active sides?”
“Mr. Neeland, it is not only likely, it is absolutely certain.” 220
“You believe Germany would count on her?”
“There is not a doubt of it. Enver Pasha holds the country in his right hand; Enver Pasha is the Kaiser’s jackal.”
“But Turkey is a beaten, discredited nation. She has no modern guns. Her fleet is rusting in the Bosporus.”
“The Dardanelles bristle with Krupp cannon, Mr. Neeland, manned by German gunners. Von der Goltz Pasha has made of a brave people a splendid army. As for ships, the ironclads and gunboats off Seraglio Point are rusting at anchor, as you say; but there are today enough German and Austrian armored ships within running distance of the Dardanelles to make for Turkey a powerful defensive squadron. Didn’t you know any of these facts?”
“No.”