down here
at the cottage I have taken for the summer--an hour out of
London--uneasy because of the apparent danger and of what Sir
Edward Grey had told me. During the day people began to go to the
Embassy, but not in great numbers--merely to ask what they should
do in case of war. The Secretary whom I had left in charge on
Sunday telephoned me every few hours and laughingly told funny
experiences with nervous women who came in and asked absurd
questions. Of course, we all knew the grave danger that war might
come but nobody could by the wildest imagination guess at what
awaited us. On Monday I was at the Embassy earlier than I think I
had ever been there before and every member of the staff was
already on duty. Before breakfast time the place was
filled-packed--like sardines. This was two days before war was
declared. There was no chance to talk to individuals, such was the
jam. I got on a chair and explained that I had already telegraphed
to Washington--on Saturday--suggesting the sending of money and
ships, and asking them to be patient. I made a speech to them
several times during the day, and kept the Secretaries doing so at
intervals. More than 2,000 Americans crowded into those offices
(which are not large) that day. We were kept there till two o'clock
in the morning. The Embassy has not been closed since.

Mr. Kent of the Bankers Trust Company in New York volunteered to
form an American Citizens' Relief Committee. He and other men of
experience and influence organized themselves at the Savoy Hotel.
The hotel gave the use of nearly a whole floor. They organized
themselves quickly and admirably and got information about
steamships and currency, etc. We began to send callers at the
Embassy to this Committee for such information. The banks were all
closed for four days. These men got money enough--put it up
themselves and used their English banking friends for help--to
relieve all cases of actual want of cash that came to them. Tuesday
the crowd at the Embassy was still great but smaller. The big space
at the Savoy Hotel gave them room to talk to one another and to get
relief for immediate needs. By that time I had accepted the
volunteer services of five or six men to help us explain to the
people--and they have all worked manfully day and