London, Nov. 23, 1912.
Dear Sir Edward: You reminded me in your letter of yesterday, 22d
November, that during the last few years the military and naval
authorities of France and Great Britain had consulted with each
other from time to time; that it had always been understood that
these consultations should not restrict the liberty of either
Government to decide in the future whether they should lend each
other the support of their armed forces; that, on either side,
these consultations between experts were not and should not be
considered as engagements binding our Governments to take action in
certain eventualities; that, however, I had remarked to you that,
if one or other of the two Governments had grave reasons to fear an
unprovoked attack on the part of a third power, it would become
essential to know whether it could count on the armed support of
the other.
Your letter answers that point, and I am authorized to state that,
in the event of one of our two Governments having grave reasons to
fear either an attack from a third power, or some event threatening
the general peace, that Government would immediately examine with
the other the question whether both Governments should act together
in order to prevent aggression or preserve peace. If so, the two
Governments would deliberate as to the measures which they would be
prepared to take in common. If those measures involved action the
two Governments would take into immediate consideration the plans
of their General Staffs and would then decide as to the effect to
be given to those plans.
Yours, &c.,