rmed that it was the purpose of the British
Government to land and dispatch, across French territory into Belgium,
160,000 troops, without asking Belgium's permission, on the first
outbreak of the European war. _This clearly demonstrates that the
Belgian Government was determined from the outset to join Germany's
enemies._
[Illustration: MR. AND MRS. WINSTON SPENCER CHURCHILL
A Recent Photograph of the Head of the British Admiralty.]
[Illustration: QUARTERMASTER GENERAL VON STEIN
Germany's Official War News Is Issued Through the Office of the
Quartermaster General.
(_Photo from Brown Bros._)]
DOCUMENT NO. 1
Report of Gen. Ducarme, Chief of the Belgian General Staff, to the
Belgian Minister of War
"_Confidential_
Letter to the Minister
Concerning the Confidential Conversations.
"BRUSSELS, April 10, 1906.
"Mr. Minister:
"I have the honor to report to you briefly about the conversations
which I had with Lieut. Col. Barnardiston and which have already been
the subject of my oral communications.
"The first visit took place in the middle of January. Mr. Barnardiston
referred to the anxieties of the General Staff of his country with
regard to the general political situation, and because of the
possibility that war may soon break out. In case Belgium should be
attacked, the sending of about 100,000 troops was provided for.
"The Lieutenant Colonel asked me how such a measure would be regarded
by us. I answered him, that from a military point of view it could not
be but favorable, but that this question of intervention was just as
much a matter for the political authorities, and that, therefore, it
was my duty to inform the Minister of War about it.
"Mr. Barnardiston answered that his Minister in Brussels would speak
about it with our Minister of Foreign Affairs.
"He proceeded in the following sense: The landing of the English
troops would take place at the French coast in the vicinity of Dunkirk
and Calais, so as to hasten their movements as much as possible. The
entry of the English into Belgium would take place only after the
violation of our neutrality by Germany. A landing in Antwerp would
take much more time, because larger transports would be needed, and
because, on the other hand, the safety would be less complete.
"This admitted, there would be several other points to consider, such
as railway transportation, the question of requisitions which the
English army could make, the ques
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