Current Literature
BRITISH DOCUMENTS ON THE ORIGINS OF THE WAR, 1898-1914. Vol. XI. The Outbreak of War : Foreign Office Documents, June 28th—August 4th, 1914. Stationery Office, London, Edinburgh, &c. 10s. 6d. net.}— We mentioned last week in our notes on the " News of the
Week " the publication of this book and pointed to the vindication therein of Sir Eyre Crowe's work, not that any one whose opinion is worth having ever doubted his ability or patriotism even before it was known that he worked himself to death for his country ; also to the proofs, which were at one time needed by our late enemies, that Lord Grey strove to the utmost to stave off the War. It is now a more than twice-told tale, but we are glad that it is available in this form which gives the documents that really made history, and unfold it from day to day. They reveal the relentless march of events towards catastrophe as grimly as any Greek tragedy, and yet give the personal sense of our own day when we read the minutes, telegrams, dispatches and even letters of our own contemporaries. Were it not that the War broke down all conventions we should deprecate the publication of office minutes and much else that has not appeared in Command Papers. As it is, exceptional circum- stances justify the course and we are grateful to Lord Grey and others who could have refused to allow the printing of much that is here. The selection and explanatory editing (of which little was needed) is the work of Mr. Headlam- Morley, obviously the right man for the work.
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