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Aujourd'hui, nous sommes un peu mieux renseignés. Le 22et le 23 novembre 1912, un échange de lettres avait eu lieu entreSir Edward Grey, Secrétaire d'Etat du Foreign Office britannique,et Monsieur Paul Cambon, ambassadeur de la République fran-çaise. De cette correspondance, une lettre dont M. Paul Cambona simplement confirmé la teneur générale, mérite être reproduitein extenso (Livre bleu No. 105, Annexe 1):

Foreign Office, November 22, 1912.

My dear Ambassador,

■From time to time in recent years the French and British naval and military experts haveconsulted together. It has always been under-stood that such consultation does not restrictthe freedom of either Government do decideat any future time whether or not to assist theother by armed force. We have agreed thatconsultation between experts is not, and oughtnot to be regarded as, an engagement that com-mits either Government to action in a con-tingency that has not arisen and may neverarise. The disposition, for instance, of theFrench and British fleets respectively at thepresent moment is not based upon an en-gagement to cooperate in war.

You have, however, pointed out that, ifeither Government had grave reason to expectan unprovoked attack by a third Power, it mightbecome essential to know whether it could inthat event depend upon the armed assistanceof the other.

I agree that, if either Government hadgrave reason to expect an unprovoked attack bya third Power, or something that threatened thegeneral peace, it should immediately discusswith the other whether both Governments shouldact together to prevent aggression and to