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now the English Cabinet felt itself, by this very concentration,constrained to assume the protection of the French North coastand of the French merchant marine, and even to go to war withGermany .

If, therefore, between the 2 nd and 4 th of August German men-of-war had ventured either to sail through the Straits or topass up the North Sea, and as England would have interpretedthis as an intention to attack the French coast or fleet, or at leastto disturb the French mercantile marine, this would have calledforth an immediate action of the English fleet and the actual stateof war between England and Germany would have resulted. Andthis for the consequences, which the English Cabinet believeditself entitled to draw from the Entente with France, which Eng-land had always professed to be in no way binding ! Independent,too, of Germany's attitude towards Belgian neutrality.

But the neutrality of Belgium was still kept in reserveas a possible cause of war for which an efficient pretextwas still lacking for the majority of the British Cabinet. Grey,it is true mentioned to Paul Cambon on August 3 rd only theputting to sea of the German fleet as "casus belli" while notmentioning Belgian neutrality. But in the conversation of August 2 ndhe had already said that the Cabinet were considering what state-ment they would make in Parliament on the next day — in effect,whether they would declare the violation of Belgian neutrality tobe a "casus belli". (Blue Book No. 148.) Grey had thereforenot yet succeeded in carrying his proposal, that England wouldnot allow Belgian neutrality to be violated, through the Cabinet,a proposal which he had on the 1 st of August promised theFrench Ambassador to submit to his colleagues.

It may be a matter for regret that German warships did notat that time actually put to sea and that no hostile action ofthe English fleet occurred in consequence. If so, the tale thatEngland had been forced to war solely through Germany 'sviolation of Belgian neutrality, would have been exploded.

As facts developed, the pretext kept in reserve by the leadingcircles of England, became an actuality. The German Governmentwas forced by circumstances which have long since become