The Foreign Office issued at the end of lust week
the text of letters which were exchanged between M. Poincare and the King on the eve of war. M. Poineare's letter, dated July 31st, was an appeal to the King to make it clear at once that Britain, in the event of war, would take the field with France. Such a declaration, M. Poineare thought, might even then avert war. The King replied on August 1st that he was doing all he could personally to help the Tsar and the German Emperor to find a way of at least postponing hostilities. But Constitutional practice and precedent forbade him to give any assurance beyond saying that the British Government would continue to discuss matters frankly and freely with the French Ambassador, It is plain frost the correspondence that even as late as August let the British Government, in the hope of preserving the peace, were stilt refraining front pledging themselves unreservedly to France. In recording the fact we must not be taken to approve of the position maintained by the Government on July 31st.
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