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which the British government replied with supplementaryestimates and the outspoken threat to build ship for shipagainst Russia and France combined.After 1900 the Russian occupation of Manchuria andcontinued opposition to the policy of 'the open door' inChina drove Great Britain to a revolutionary reversal inher traditional policy of binding herself by no alliances,except in actual war. In 1902 she concluded alliancewith Japan. The treaty was public. HenceforwardRussia knew that, if war came with Japan, Great Britainwould aid Japan with benevolent neutrality and join withher in arms should a third power (France) enter the war.At this same time Russian imperialism in Persia reachedits high-water-mark of success. Since 1878 Russianinterests and influence in Persia had been more and moreactively promoted at the expense of British imperialism.The Loan and Discount Bank (a close parallel to Witte'sRusso-Chinese Bank; cf. p. 302), the Persian CossackBrigade (officered by Russians and Persia's one reliablebody of troops), the multiplication of consulates, a newshipping line to the Persian Gulf—these and other lessup-to-date means of penetration made Russia dominantin northern Persia and, in British eyes, a serious dangerin the south and the Gulf.In Afghanistan Russia was working for what evenLamsdorfF, the cautious and pacific foreign minister,admitted to be "a certain freedom of action," where theBritish regarded their own exclusive influence to beessential. The Russian extremist press demanded "afree exit for Russia to the Indian Ocean" and "nodivision of spheres in Persia, which, together with thewaters that bathe its shores, must remain the object ofRussian material and moral protection." Even as lateas 1904 the government continued to hold to its policyof no division of Persia into spheres of influence and ofactivity in the Gulf and along the eastern frontier ofPersia.Meanwhile among Persians themselves a modern,nationalist, and constitutionalist movement had grownrapidly, which was directed both against the arbitraryand ruinously expensive despotism of the shah ana439