ABSTRACT
The Emperor instructed Alfred von Kiderlen that Metternich must refuse to discuss the naval question until England had given Germany her proposals for a political agreement —including a clause about neutrality. The effects of a neutrality agreement would however be independent of personalities. The German memorandum thus repeated previous statements without taking any account of Lord Haldane’s contradictions or of the change in the British attitude after a fuller knowledge of the naval proposals. Edward Grey spoke of the improvement in Anglo-French and Anglo-Russian relations which had followed a settlement of practical questions, although neither settlement had included a political agreement as far-reaching as the formula proposed to Germany. Grey’s reference to the possibility of a change in the direction of German policy was answered by a reference to the possibility of a change in the policy of England after Germany had surrendered the security which the naval law would give her.
