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through the Channel, or, if they succeeded in passing it, anydemonstration on the French coasts.
It cannot be considered the habit in England for a Secretaryof State for Foreign Affairs to inform the representative of aninterested foreign Power beforehand of proposals of the highesthistorical moment which he intends to make to the CabinetCouncil, engaging by such an information the country's policybefore the Cabinet has spoken. A procedure of this descriptionis the more extraordinary where decisions are involved againstwhose tendency a successful opposition has previously asserteditself in the midst of the Cabinet. By furnishing to MonsieurCambon these informations in the morning of August 1 st andthereby forestalling the decisions of the Cabinet, it must be putto his credit that at any rate this step did not involve a more heavyengagement towards France than he had already taken before.
Anyhow, it is significant that the English Blue Book containsno communication of Sir Edward Grey to the British Ambassadorat Paris in reference to this conversation with Paul Cambon, while,on the other hand, Paul Cambon did not fail to at once reponit to his Government.
At Paris a great deal of anxiety was beginning to be felt inconsequence of the opposition showing itself in the English Cabinet, so that the British Ambassador at Paris resolved totelegraph to Grey in the evening of July 31 st , that the French Minister for Foreign Affairs was "urgently anxious as to what"the attitude of England will be in the circumstances, and begs"an answer may be made by His Majesty's Government at the"earliest moment possible". (Blue Book No. 124.)
The reply was Sir Edward Greys extraordinary statement toPaul Cambon in the morning of August 1 st .
France was now appeased, and without awaiting the Germanmobilisation, the French Government on the 1 st of August, 3.40o'cl. p. m., issued orders for the general mobilisation of the French army. (Blue Book No. 136.)
On the following day, Sunday, August 2 nd , Sir EdwardGrey made another statement to the French Ambassador whichhe repeated in a more definite form on August 3 rd :