6 July 1914

[Andrew Hesketh]

The Kaiser sets off for a long-planned 20 day Baltic / North Sea cruise from Kiel. For public consumption it would appear that recent events are not deemed sufficiently serious to warrant the cancellation of this jaunt. The Kaiser orders prominent politicians and military men to go on vacation to add to the picture of all being well.

The German Ambassador in Vienna is informed by Chancellor Bethmann-Hollweg of the nature of the 'blank cheque'.

And, whilst almost mortally bored (at work), I found the following fascinating facts after a Google search.........

Nalini Kanta Bhattasali is appointed the first curator of the Dhaka Museum, in modern Bangladesh.

US Baseball Results:

Brooklyn Feds 10, Baltimore Terrapins 5 at Washington Park III

Pittsburgh Rebels 6, Buffalo Feds 5 at Federal League Park

Kansas City Packers 4, Chicago Whales 1 at Wrigley Field

Philadelphia Athletics 2, New York Yankees 0 at Shibe Park

Washington Senators 1, Boston Red Sox 0 at Griffith Stadium

Boston Braves 3, Brooklyn Dodgers 1 at South End Grounds III

New York Giants 5, Philadelphia Phillies 4 at Polo Grounds V

Philadelphia Phillies 7, New York Giants 2 at Polo Grounds V

[BottsGreys]

"Sir Edward Grey to Sir H. Rumbold (Berlin)

Secret

Foreign Office, July 6, 1914

Sir,

The German Ambassador spoke very warmly to-day of the satisfaction and pleasure which had been given to the Emperor, and generally, by the visit of the British Admiral to Kiel. I said that I knew that it had given great satisfaction and pleasure on our side. The Ambassador then went on to speak to me privately, he said, but very seriously, as to the anxiety and pessimism that he had found in Berlin. He explained that the murder of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand had excited very strong anti-Servian feeling in Austria; and he knew for a fact, though he did not know details, that the Austrians intended to do something and it was not impossible that they would take military action against Servia. I said that surely they did not think of taking any territory? The Ambassador replied that they did not wish to take territory, because they would not know what to do with it. He thought their idea was that they must have some compensation in the sense of some humiliation for Servia. The situation was exceedingly difficult for Germany: if she told the Austrians that nothing must be done, she would be accused of always holding them back and not supporting them; on the other hand if she let events take their course there was the possibility of very serious trouble. The Ambassador earnestly hoped that, if trouble came, we would use our influence to mitigate feeling in St. Petersburg.

A second thing which caused anxiety and pessimism in Berlin was the apprehension in Germany about the attitude of Russia, especially in connection with the recent increase of Russian military strength. He was told that Russia now had a peace footing of one million men and the impression in Germany was that Russian feeling towards Germany was very unfavourable.

A third thing was the idea that there was some Naval Convention between Russia and England. He had reported to his Government all that I had said to him recently, (1) just before he went to Germany on holiday, about our relations with Russia and France, and he had assured his Government that they could trust every word, and that there was no secret agreement on our part. They accepted the statement that there was nothing between the British and Russian Governments, but they felt that, nevertheless, there might be some under-standing between British and Russian Naval authorities. If there was such an understanding for co-operation directed against Germany, it would strengthen chauvinistic feeling in Russia, it would make pan-German feeling quite irresistible, and lead to an increase of the German Naval law, which otherwise was not intended, and it would also impair good feeling between England and Germany, generally. This is what had been impressed upon him very strongly in Berlin.

The Ambassador went so far as to say that there was some feeling in Germany, based more especially upon the second and third things that he had mentioned to me this afternoon, that trouble was bound to come and therefore it would be better not to restrain Austria and let the trouble come now, rather than later. ...The Ambassador said that he had asserted at Berlin that though England would remain firmly in the group of triple entente, for she must preserve the balance of power and not see France annihilated, yet we did not wish to see the groups of Powers draw apart. I cordially confirmed this...."

I am, &c.

E. Grey

(My bold)

Chris

[duckman]

Just to follow a couple of the points made by Chris (vice Mr E.Grey):

The visit referred to was that of Vice-Admiral Warrender (Commander 2nd Battle Squadron, Home Fleet) and the King George V, Centurion, Audacious and Ajax. These ships represented the British presence at the ceremonies for the reopening of the Kiel Canal, which had just been widened and deepened. Some luminary (whose name eludes me now, but I will look up later) had said a few years earlier that the Next Great War would break out after the harvest following the widening of the Kiel Canal. Prophetic indeed...

Grey was telling the truth - but only just - that no convention between Britain and Russia had been made. Talks had been underway for some time regarding their mutual naval interests, and although nothing like the understanding with the French had developed, such an understanding would probably have occurred before the end of 1915.

[Guest Brummy]

And a relitively minor event by the standard of the times but the Arthusa Class LIght Cruiser H.M.S. Inconstant was launched this day in 1914, a ship born into war.

Brum

[BottsGreys]

the Arthusa Class LIght Cruiser H.M.S. Inconstant was launched this day in 1914,

Brummy:

Hopefully, Dame Fortune proved to be with her in these harrowing times.

Chris

[BottsGreys]

Duckman, et al:

Thanks for elaborating on the real-time finer points not evident in these diplomatic messages. I think we are all resoundingly getting the vibe here of impending doom for the status quo of early 20th-Century Europe.

Chris

[ianw]

"... the possibility of very serious trouble."

Yes, I think this was delivered , in spades !

P.S

H.M.S Inconstant survived the war to be scrapped in 1922.

[duckman]

Duckman, et al:

Thanks for elaborating on the real-time finer points not evident in these diplomatic messages. I think we are all resoundingly getting the vibe here of impending doom for the status quo of early 20th-Century Europe.

Chris

And thank you for posting the original documents. Most of these are familiar to me only as descriptions of the content or quotes from same. Most enlightening to see the whole text.

I wonder how much the protagonists shared that sense of impending doom. Many had been talking for some time about the "Next European War", and many must have realised that this was it - for all the claims later that "I still hoped for peace".