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moment make ary promise. "Up to the present moment, we did"no feel, and public opinion did not feel, that any treaties or"obligations of this country were involved". But, he addedencouragingly, further developments might alter the situation andpersuade the Government and Parliament that intervention wasjustified. The preservation of Belgian neutrality might be, "I would"not say a decisive, but an important factor", in determiningEngland 's attitude.

How little Paul Cambon was satisfied with this statement,can be seen from his own report on the conversation (YellowBook No. 110). He asked Grey whether perhaps England would waitfor tire German invasion of France before she intervened. "I have"insisted on the fact that the measures already taken on our"frontier by Germany revealed intentions of early aggression, and"that, if it was desired to avoid a repetition of Europe 's mistake"in 1870, it would be well that England should promptly consider"under which circumstances she would give us the support upon"which France counted." ("J'ai insisté sur le fait que les mesuresdéjà adoptées sur notre frontière par l'Allemagne révélaient desintentions d'agression prochaine, et que si l'on voulait éviter devoir se renouveler l'erreur de l'Europe en 1870, il convenait quel'Angleterre envisageât dès maintenant les conditions dans les-quelles elle nous donnerait le concours sur lequel la Francecomptait") But Grey remained on the Cabinets decision. Onthe other hand, Sir Arthur Nicolson whom Cambon met onleaving Sir Edward Grey's rooms, offered him some slightconsolation: The Council of Ministers would meet againtomorrow, "and he gave me to understand confidentially that"the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs would not fail to"resume the discussion" ("et, confidentiellement, m'a fait entendreque le Secrétaire d'Etat aux Affaires étrangères ne manquerait pasde reprendre la discussion").

It is hardly necessary to read between the lines.

Up to the meeting of the Council of Ministers to which SirArthur Nicolson had alluded, the replies to Sir Edward Grey'squestion regarding Belgian neutrality had arrived from Paris and