Edward Grey
Edward Grey
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon, KG PC DL FZS, better known as Sir Edward Grey, 3rd Baronet, was a British Liberal statesman. An adherent of the "New Liberalism", he served as Foreign Secretary from 1905 to 1916, the longest continuous tenure of any person in that office. He is probably best remembered for his "the lamps are going out" remark on 3 August 1914 on the outbreak of the First World War. He signed the Sykes-Picot Agreement on...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth25 April 1862
cannot changing perhaps regarded understanding
An understanding is perhaps better than an alliance, which may stereotype arrangements which cannot be regarded as permanent in view of the changing circumstances from day to day.
bind cannot entertain government moment neutrality proposal themselves
His Majesty's Government cannot for one moment entertain the Chancellor's proposal that they should bind themselves to neutrality on such terms.
bind cannot entertain government moment neutrality proposal themselves
His Majesty's Government cannot for a moment entertain the Chancellor's proposal that they should bind themselves to neutrality on such terms.
antagonism arise bring cannot conceive future germans immediate ourselves point
I cannot conceive any point which can arise in the immediate future which would bring ourselves and the Germans into antagonism of interests.
country critical decide doubtful knew moment probable view war whether
I knew it to be very doubtful whether the Cabinet, Parliament, and the country would take this view on the outbreak of war, and through the whole of this week I had in view the probable contingency that we should not decide at the critical moment to support France.
war
After a big war a nation doesn't want another for a generation or more.
asks bargain chancellor effect entertain interest obligation regards
The Chancellor also in effect asks us to bargain away whatever obligation or interest we have as regards the neutrality of Belgium. We could not entertain that bargain either.
few instead manifold meeting men millions modern multiply power thousands war weapons
Instead of a few hundreds of thousands of men meeting each other in war, millions would now meet, and modern weapons would multiply manifold the power of destruction.
ambassador became concerned directly dispute entitled german matter peace
I said to the German Ambassador that, as long as there was only a dispute between Austria and Serbia alone, I did not feel entitled to intervene; but that, directly it was a matter between Austria and Russia, it became a question of the peace of Europe, which concerned us all.
crushed europe further german great lose material point position proposal taken territory
From the material point of view the proposal is unacceptable, for France, without further territory in Europe being taken from her, could be so crushed as to lose her position as a Great Power, and become subordinate to German policy.
altogether apart bargain country disgrace expense germany good
Altogether apart from that, it would be a disgrace to us to make this bargain with Germany at the expense of France, a disgrace from which the good name of this country would never recover.
alliance america branches cause england factor future potent powerful race triple union
If the union between England and America is a powerful factor in the cause of peace, a new Triple Alliance between the Teutonic race and the two branches of the Anglo-Saxon race will be a still more potent influence in the future of the world.
assumption german government hitherto influence matter receive russia spoken whereas
I had furthermore spoken on the assumption that Russia would mobilize, whereas the assumption of the German Government had hitherto been, officially, that Serbia would receive no support; and what I had said must influence the German Government to take the matter seriously.
critical decisive dependent germany immensely strength word
That Germany was so immensely strong and Austria so dependent upon German strength that the word and will of Germany would at the critical moment be decisive with Austria.