ABSTRACT
The period from 1909 to 1912 has been aptly called by one eminent diplomatic historian 'the years of Anglo-German hostility'. 1 The Moroccan and Bosnian crises of 1905 and 1908 had served to convince many officials in the British government that Germany was determined to dominate Europe. When in March 1909 it was learned that Germany had stepped up her naval ship-building programme, this conviction was reinforced and British public opinion began to march in step with official policy. Many people believed at this point that the German naval programme indicated a desire to dominate not only Europe but the world. ' The alarm of German " acceleration " stirred the British people as they had not been roused since the annexation of Savoy by Napoleon III in 1860'. 2 With the rallying cry ' we want eight and we won't wait' the British took up the challenge. 3
