Sun Yat-Sen visits San Francisco

Statue of Sun Yat-Sen

July 22, 1911: San Francisco - Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, with a purported $325,000 bounty on his head from the Chinese government, visited the Chinese community in San Francisco. The head of the Young China movement stayed for some time, disregarding Chinese spies and government inspectors. The purpose of the visit was to strengthen  the Chinese Revolutionary movement by uniting different Chinese social and political groups.

Emperor Puyi

The secret organization was gaining strength inside China, lead by the Western educated doctor, who sought a representative government for the Chinese people, currently led by the Qing or Manchu Emperor Puyi, and ruled by his regent the Dowager Empress Longyu. The doctor surreptitiously moves throughout the United States, strengthening his forces and instigating disturbances, such as that reported in Shantung.

One example of a reported meeting was with the Gee Gong Tong, the ancient Chinese Masonic Society, that had recently adopted the constitutional ideas of the Young China leaders..

Lloyd George's Mansion House Speech

July 21, 1911:
In response to Germany's perceived aggressive actions at Agadir in Morocco, and French compromise in settling the dispute by negotiating Germany's expansion of Togo and Kamerun (Cameroon), in exchange for the acknowledgement of the Morocco as a French Protectorate, David Lloyd George, future British Prime Minister during World War I, at the behest of the British Foreign Minister, Sir Edward Grey, dedicated a portion of his now famous Mansion House Speech, to remind both Germany and France, that England would not be left out of world affairs:

Personally I am a sincere advocate of all means which would lead to the settlement of international disputes by methods such as those which civilization has so successfully set up for the adjustment of differences between individuals, and I rejoice in my heart at the prospect of a happy issue to Sir Edward Grey's negotiations with the United States of America for the settlement of disputes which may occur in future between ourselves and our kinsmen across the Atlantic by some more merciful, more rational, and by a more just arbitrament than that of the sword.

But I am also bound to say this -- that I believe it is essential in the highest interests, not merely of

this country, but of the world, that Britain should at all hazards maintain her place and her prestige amongst the Great Powers of the world. Her potent influence has many a time been in the past, and may yet be in the future, invaluable to the cause of human liberty. It has more than once in the past redeemed Continental nations, who are sometimes too apt to forget that service, from overwhelming disaster and even from national extinction. I would make great sacrifices to preserve peace. I conceive that nothing would justify a disturbance of international good will except questions of the greatest national moment. But if a situation were to be forced upon us in which peace could only be preserved by the surrender of the great and beneficent position Britain has won by centuries of  heroism and achievement, by allowing Britain to be treated where her interests were vitally affected as if she were of no account in the Cabinet of nations, then I say emphatically that peace at that price would be a humiliation in tolerable for a great country like ours to endure. National honour is no party question. The security of our great international trade is no party question; the peace of the world is much more likely to be secured if all nations realize fairly what the conditions of peace must be. And it is because I have the conviction that nations are beginning to understand each other better, to appreciate one another's point of view more thoroughly, to be more ready to discuss calmly and dispassionately their differences, that I feel assured that nothing will happen between now and next year which will render it difficult for the chancellor of the exchequer in this place to respond to the toast proposed - of the continued prosperity of public peace.

France and England plan for mobilization against Germany

 July 20, 1911: On this date, Sir Henry Wilson, Director of Military Operations on the British General Staff, met in secret with General Auguste Dubail, French Army Chief of Staff, to formulate an  agreement for a joint plan to mobilize 150,000 men in the event that Germany declared war on either nation. Though the Dubail-Wilson plan did not become necessary in 1911, it would be used three years later when World War I broke out.

Per the Dubail-Wilson agreement, the British were to mobilize following intervention, specifying 150,000 men and 67,000 horses to be landed at Havre, Boulogne and Rouen between 4th-12th day of mobilization and be sent to Mauberge region and ready for action on 13th day.

Although it may appear that the agreement had been a result of Germany's actions in the Agadir crisis, it may also had been a result of war games,which indicated that Germany would have moved easily through Belgium and France unless there was early commitment of the British Expeditionary Force ^[1] .

^[1]Sanders, Charles W, Jr. "No Other Law: The French Army and the Doctrine of the Offensive", The Rand Corporation, 1987

Deposed Shah of Persia Returns to Reclaim Throne with Russian Aid

Shah Qajar of Iran

July 18, 1911:  Mohammad Ali Shah Qajar, the deposed Shah of Persia, landed at the Caspian Sea port of Astarabad (present day Gorgan, Iran) with an army in an attempt to regain the throne that he had lost in 1909. Apparently disguised, and carrying a fake passport, the Shah escaped to Persia with Russian-supplied guns, cannons and munitions, and Austrian cannons procured on a trip to Vienna, that had been packed in crates labeled "mineral water"^[1].

The Shah, based on an agreement between Russia and England, lived in exile in Odessa in Russia, after abdicating his throne to his 12 year old son. He had wanted to rescind the recently established Persian Constitution, and a civil war ensued, in 1909, between the constitutionalists and monarchists.  Russia had agreed to prevent the Shah from participating in political and other activities which could weaken the newly established monarchy and constitutional government. In exchange, the shah would receive an annual stipend of $82,500 ($2 million, today). Russian and England would have spheres of influence in Persia, as a result of the agreement, with Russian influence in the Northern part of the country, and England in the south, with the central part of the country under autonomous rule.

Upon landing, the Shah's brother and advisers, contacted loyal supporters and tribesmen, to march on Tehran and reclaim the throne.

Persia would be at the crossroads of World War One, with mixed allegiances and occupying forces in all parts of the country. Of particular interest are the newly developed oil fields.

Armenian Patriarch Hovhannes Arsharuni presents grievences to Ottoman Government

The Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, Hovhannes Arscharouni (Յովհաննէս Արշարունի Իսթանպուլցի) presented a list of grievances to the Turkish government, demanding improvements on education, use of the Armenian language, the right to participate in military service, and the right to present Christians as witnesses in court proceedings in the Islamic nation. The government pledged reforms, which were blocked in the Ottoman parliament. In a letter to Turkey's Minister of Justice, the Patriarch also informs him about the illegal actions of the Turkish officials in the Armenian provinces, including murders and confiscation of property.

The jurisdiction of the Patriarchate of Constantinople included 52 dioceses. The dioceses of Baghdad, Cyprus, Egypt, Bulgaria, Romania and Greece were among these dioceses.

• Agadir crisis: Germany's Foreign Minister Alfred von Kiderlen-Waechter summoned French Ambassador Jules Cambon to the Ministry and made the surprise demand that France cede its colony in the French Congo to Germany as a condition of German withdrawal from Morocco.^[30]

Anglo-Japanese Arbitration Treaty may be revised

 July 11, 1911: An article published by the Associated Press, reports on treaties negotiated between countries that would have disputes arbitrated by Court of Arbitration located in The Hauge, Netherlands. Difficulties in ratification by the U.S. Senate were caused by, among other concerns, that the agreement "...[takes] for granted that the proposed treaty is for the purpose of offending Germany".

The most interesting part of the article is Japan's stance that they would never war with England or the U.S.

From Tokio, Japan,
A revision of the Anglo-Japanese alliance is regarded as the inevitable outcome of the Anglo-American arbitration treaty. There is reason to believe that negotiations for such revision have been going on for several weeks.

Komura Jutarō 

It is reported that Great Britain propose to modify the clause providing for mutual assistance in the event of war, making the provision in applicable if either party to the alliance is fighting a nation with which the other has concluded a general arbitration treaty.
It is understood that Japan readily agreed to this proposition, and the Associated Press is informed that the readiness of the Japanese Government to accept the suggestion was due to its entire confidence that Japan will never be at war with either the United States or England.
The revision will probably involve the extension of the treaty alliance for fifteen or twenty years.

The alliance between England and Japan ends in 1923.