SIR EDWARD GREY'S HISTORIC SPEECH

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2220, 5 August 1914, Page 7

SIR EDWARD GREY'S HISTORIC SPEECH

"NOT A DECLARATION OF WAR" ' . / INTENSEEXCITEMENT IN THECOMMONS ' N ■'' ■■"•■;■■ (Rec. August 4, 8.50 p.m.) ' ■ , -■■' mt" . ■.■ ' ■ :: ' London) August 8. • -rJ- ,? re was ,nt ense excitement at Westminster ,and there were dense crowds . in. Parhament Square when ,met. , . r . : "! There was a double row of'chairs on the floor of the Houss of Commons, and the excitement was unprecedented -since the time the Home Rule Bill was introduced in tlhe'eighties by Mr.'Gladstone. ;■■ ■'.•.■■'■■-■:■..,■• - Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Minister, in aniiouncing the policy of the Governjnent in connection with the. European situation; asked the House to approach ~ the consideration of the crisis from the point of' view: of British interests Jidnoar, and obhgations. : He could assure the House that until yesterday the Government had not given any country a promise of. mbro than the' diplomatic support oi Bntain;; Moreover,, the Government had not construed anything previously done byother Powers as restricting our freedom to decide our'action m the present crisis. France was involved under her definite alliance with Kussja,: but that obligation did not.apply to us. Britain was not a party to the Franco-Russian. Alliance. Continuing, he said that if Germany had sent an ultunatnm to Belgium asking her to Compromise on the matter of neutrality, ; % u , m B " lde Pf?3encewas i the loss of:the indenendence of Holland would follow.: : He must ask the House to consider what would bo our position if France were ueaten,-and subordinated to Germany, with Belgium, Holland, and Denmark, under the same dominating influence. It was , said we might_ stand a«de, husband our resources and intervene in thMnd to put but lf.wo ran away from our obligations, honour, arid interest regardiug the Belgian; Treaty, he doubted whether any material force would.-•be of much value in face of ilbe respect we should have'losV. -, ~l n a supplementary statement, the Minister said that the Govomment had .. given no-undertaking to send an expedition abroad. "My answer to the' French Ambassador, that our fleet wouldproteqt the coast of Franco, subject to Par liamentary approval, is not a declaration of war.'.'" ' ;i; Rumours are current that one member of Cabinet is likely to resign. ■/. .;: (Rec. August 5, 1.15 a.m.) ' v , ; •dieaSiSwt^S ..The "Standard" .eays Nereis every probability of a Coalition Govemmenf ; ■ (Rec. August 4,' 5.20 p.m.) ■