Further Statement by Sir Edward Grey in House of Commons, Aug. 3,
1914.
I want to give the House some information which I have received, and
which was not in my possession when I made my statement this afternoon.
It is information I have received from the Belgian Legation in London,
and is to the following effect:
Germany sent yesterday evening at 7 o'clock a note proposing to
Belgium friendly neutrality, covering free passage on Belgian
territory, and promising maintenance of independence of the kingdom
and possession at the conclusion of peace, and threatening, in case
of refusal, to treat Belgium as an enemy. A time limit of twelve
hours was fixed for the reply. The Belgians have answered that an
attack on their neutrality would be a flagrant violation of the
rights of nations, and that to accept the German proposal would be
to sacrifice the honor of a nation. Conscious of its duty, Belgium
is firmly resolved to repel aggression by all possible means.
Of course, I can only say that the Government are prepared to take into
grave consideration the information which they have received. I make no
further comment upon it.
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