1 7 0 ▁passengers ▁she ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁carry , ▁and ▁only ▁two ▁lif eb o ats ▁were ▁available , ▁each ▁for ▁ 2 4 ▁people . ▁He ▁concluded ▁that ▁the ▁cargo ▁ship ▁was ▁not ▁suitable ▁for ▁a ▁journey ▁of ▁this ▁kind ▁across ▁the ▁Mediter rane an ▁Sea . ▁ ▁The ▁ship ▁under w ent ▁some ▁minor ▁modifications ▁in ▁great ▁has te ▁before ▁the ▁journey . ▁She ▁was ▁fitted ▁with ▁additional ▁to ile ts , ▁cab ins ▁and ▁b eds ▁brought ▁from ▁the ▁naval ▁school ▁in ▁M ers in . ▁Turkish ▁colours ▁were ▁painted ▁on ▁both ▁sides ▁of ▁the ▁ste amer ' s ▁h ull ▁and ▁also ▁on ▁the ▁weather ▁deck . ▁In ▁order ▁to ▁signal ▁her ▁identity ▁as ▁a ▁neutral ▁country ' s ▁vessel ▁even ▁in ▁the ▁night , ▁she ▁was ▁bright ly ▁lit . ▁ ▁Une x pected ▁political ▁develop ments ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁Naz i ▁Germany ▁and ▁Turkey ▁signed ▁the ▁German – T urk ish ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Friend ship ▁that ▁followed ▁an ▁inv itation ▁by ▁Adolf ▁Hitler ▁with ▁his ▁letter ▁from ▁ 4 ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 1 ▁to ▁the ▁Turkish ▁president ▁ İ s met ▁ İ n ön ü . ▁Meanwhile , ▁Naz i ▁German ▁troops ▁had ▁already ▁inv aded ▁the ▁entire ▁B alk ans ▁and ▁stood ▁on ▁Turkey ' s ▁door step . ▁While ▁this ▁p act ▁anger ed ▁the ▁British ▁government , ▁Naz i ▁Germany , ▁its ▁al lies ▁and ▁Finland ▁started ▁an ▁off ensive ▁(