to postpone their action against
Germany until Russia, which was preparing itself with prodigious
exertion, had finished its preparations, which in August, 1913, were
critically inspected by General Joffre, and among which is to be
included the construction of railways to run through Poland to the
Austrian and Prussian frontiers. This consideration also accounts for
England's attitude during the Balkan confusion of 1912 and 1913. At
the London Conference we were able to co-operate with Sir Edward Grey
in settling the great difficulties brought about by the war of the
Balkan nations against Turkey, and subsequently their war inter se and
the overthrow of Bulgaria. Under the impression created by this
political co-operation the peace party in England also seemed to gain
ground. On Feb. 18, 1913, Charles Trevelyan, M.P., paid me a visit and
assured me with great positiveness that England would under no
circumstances wage war. A Ministry which undertook to make
preparations for war, he said, would at once be deposed. An
inclination to bring about an understanding with Germany, he added,
prevailed in all industrial circles. My impression that such was
actually the case was confirmed during a sojourn in London in the
months of March and April, 1914. On occasion of a political supper a
deux with Lord Haldane the latter gave expression to the view that the
present grouping of the powers offered the best guarantee of peace,
that Sir Edward Grey was holding Russia in check and we were holding
Austria-Hungary in check, in saying which he emphasized the fact that
England had implicit confidence in the German Imperial Chancellor. I
replied, saying that in consequence of the existing combination Paris
and St. Petersburg would certainly count upon England's help in the
event of a war, and would thus bring on the war. We then discussed the
situation between England and Germany, and remarked how the present
plan, adopted by both Governments, of fortifying both sides of the
North Sea was detrimental to the real interests of both. The following
letter, which I received from Lord Haldane in Berlin on April 17, is
an echo of this conversation:

"It was a great pleasure to see you and have had the full and
unreserved talk we had together. My ambition is, like yours, to bring
Germany into relations of ever closer intimacy and friendship. Our two
countries have a common work to do for the world as well as for
themselves, and each of them can