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Foreign Office und Herrn Paul Cambon als Botschafter der fran-zösischen Republik waren am 22. und 23. November 1912 Briefeausgetauscht worden, von denen der Brief Orey's — den PaulCambon lediglich im ungefähren Wortlaut bestätigte — hier Platzfinden möge (Blaubuch No. 105, Anlage 1):

Foreign Office, November 22, 1912.My dear Ambassador,From time to time in recent years the French and British navaland military experts have consulted together. It has always beenunderstood that such consultation does not restrict the freedom ofeither Government to decide at any future time whether, or not,to assist the other by armed force. We have agreed that consul-tation between experts is not, and ought not, to be regarded as,an engagement that commits either Government to action in a con-tingency that has not arisen and may never arise. The disposition,for instance, of the French and British fleets, respectively at thepresent moment, is not based upon an engagement to cooperatein war.

You Have, however, pointed out that, if either Government hadgrave reason to expect an unprovoked attak by a third Power, itmight become essential to know whether it could in that eventdepend upon the armed assistance of the other.

I agree that, if either Government had grave reason to expectan unprovoked attak by a third Power, or something that threa-tened the general peace, it should immediately discuss with theother whether both Governments should act together to preventaggression and to preserve peace, and, if so, what measures theyWould be prepared to take in common. If these measures involvedaction, the plans of the General Staffs would at once be taken intoconsideration, and the Governments would then decide what effectshould be given to them.

Yours, &c.

E. Grey.

Uebersetzung.

Foreign Office, 22. November 1912.Mein lieber Botschafter !Von Zeit zu Zeit in den letzten Jahren haben die französischenund britischen maritimen und militärischen Autoritäten miteinanderberaten. Es bestand stets Einverständnis darüber, dass solche Be-ratungen die Freiheit beider Regierungen nicht einschränken soll-ten, in Zukunft darüber zu entscheiden, ob sie sich einander durchihre bewaffnete Macht beistehen sollten oder nicht. Wir haben ver-