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| 1891, May 6 |
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| Premature renewal of the Triple Alliance, the three documents being merged in one and Germany assuming somewhat larger obligations to support the Italian claims in North Africa. The renewal of the treaty was due to German fears lest France might force Italy into its orbit. The contracting parties were to do their utmost to associate Britain in support of Italian aspirations. | 1 |
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| July 24 |
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| Visit of a French squadron under Adm. Alfred Gervais, to Cronstadt, included frantic demonstrations of Franco-Russian friendship. The tsar listened to the “Marseillaise” played on one of the French warships. The Franco-Russian agreement, which had been prepared by French loans, and so on, began to loom on the horizon, the result primarily of German rejection of the Reinsurance Treaty, the hasty renewal of the Triple Alliance, and the demonstrations of Anglo-German solidarity. | 2 |
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| Aug. 21, 27 |
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| The AUGUST CONVENTION between France and Russia, first fruit of the negotiations. The French desired a hard-and-fast agreement, but this was watered down by the Russians until it was hardly more than an agreement to consult as to what measures should be taken by two powers in case the maintenance of peace was threatened or one of the parties menaced by aggression. All efforts of the French to arrange for mobilization (especially during Giers's visit to Paris, November) proved abortive. | 3 |
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