Foreign Secretary 1905–1916 Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon

1 foreign secretary 1905–1916

1.1 anglo-russian entente 1907
1.2 agadir crisis 1911
1.3 july crisis 1914
1.4 first world war
1.5 later career
1.6 private life

foreign secretary 1905–1916

grey caricatured spy vanity fair, 1903

with conservative government of arthur balfour divided , unpopular, there speculation h. h. asquith , allies grey , richard haldane refuse serve in next liberal government unless liberal leader sir henry campbell-bannerman accepted peerage, have left asquith real leader in house of commons. plot (called relugas compact after scottish lodge men met) collapsed when asquith agreed serve chancellor of exchequer under campbell-bannerman. when campbell-bannerman formed government in december 1905 grey appointed foreign secretary—the first foreign secretary sit in commons since 1868. haldane became secretary of state war. party won landslide victory in 1906 general election. whilst mp voted in favour of 1908 women s enfranchisement bill. when campbell-bannerman stepped down prime minister in 1908, grey asquith s realistic rival succeed friend. in event, grey continued foreign secretary, , held office 11 years day, longest continuous tenure in office.

anglo-russian entente 1907

as 13 december 1905, grey had assured russian ambassador count alexander benckendorff supported idea of agreement russia. negotiations began after arrival of sir arthur nicolson new british ambassador in june 1906. in contrast previous conservative government had seen russia potential threat empire, grey s intention re-establish russia factor in european politics on side of france , great britain maintain balance of power in europe.

agadir crisis 1911

grey did not welcome prospect of renewed crisis on morocco: worried might either lead re-opening of issues covered treaty of algeciras or might drive spain alliance germany. grey tried restrain both france , spain, spring of 1911 had failed on both counts. grey believed that, whether liked or not, hands tied terms of entente cordiale. despatch of german gunboat panther agadir served strengthen french resolve and, because determined both protect agreement france , block german attempts @ expansion around mediterranean, pushed grey closer france. grey, however, tried calm situation, merely commenting on abrupt nature of german intervention, , insisting britain must participate in discussions future of morocco.

in cabinet on 4 july 1911, grey accepted britain oppose german port in region, new fortified port anywhere on moroccan coast, , britain must continue enjoy open door trade morocco. grey @ point resisting efforts foreign office support french intransigence. time second cabinet held on 21 july, grey had adopted tougher position, suggesting propose germany multi-national conference held, , germany refuse participate should take steps assert , protect british interests.

grey made knight of garter in 1912. throughout period leading world war grey played leading part in negotiations kaiser. visited germany , invited delegation windsor castle conference in 1912. returned several times, haldane acting interpreter.

july crisis 1914

although grey s activist foreign policy, relied increasingly on triple entente france , russia, came under criticism radicals within own party, maintained position because of support conservatives non-partisan foreign policy. in 1914, grey played key role in july crisis leading outbreak of world war i. attempts mediate dispute between austria-hungary , serbia ignored both sides. on 16 july, british ambassador austria-hungary advised austria-hungary regarded serbian government having been complicit in assassination of archduke franz ferdinand , wife, , have act if austria-hungary not lose position great power. british cabinet preoccupied crisis in ulster, , grey failed realize urgency of situation, , chose await further developments.

on 23 july, austria-hungary formally handed serbian government ultimatum, demanded acceptance, 25 july, of terms tantamount serbia’s vassalage austria-hungary; clear serbia accept of demands austria-hungary settle nothing less complete capitulation. on 24 july, french ambassador in london tried waken grey realization once austrian forces crossed serbian border, late mediation. grey responded urging german ambassador attempt four-power conference of britain, france, italy , germany @ vienna mediate between austria-hungary , russia, serbia s patron, or @ least obtain extension of time-limit set austria-hungary. grey again proposed four-power conference on 26 july. suggested russia , austria-hungary should encouraged negotiate. other powers open idea, germany had other intentions.

after collapse of grey’s four-power talks on tuesday 28 july, clear war on continent inevitable, although not yet whether britain should involved. asquith, grey , haldane had late night talk @ foreign office. on wednesday 29 july 2 decisions taken @ cabinet. firstly, armed forces placed on alert (the “precautionary period” declared , war book opened @ 2pm). secondly, cabinet agreed guarantee neutrality of belgium, britain’s response violation of belgian neutrality decided on grounds of policy rather strict legality. grey authorised tell german , french ambassadors britain had not yet made decision whether or on terms join in or stand aside. besides issues of party management (many liberal mps, including @ least third of cabinet, , liberal press apart westminster gazette, wanted britain stay out), asquith , grey genuinely believed openly backing france , russia make them more intransigent, without deterring germany. on friday 31 july grey had “rather painful” interview paul cambon, french ambassador, @ resisted cambon s pressure france openly.

king george telegraphed berlin confirm grey had stated britain remain neutral if france , russia not attacked. 31 july, when grey sent memorandum demanding germany respect belgium s neutrality, late. german forces massed @ belgian border, , helmuth von moltke convinced kaiser wilhelm ii late change plan of attack.

at meeting prince lichnowsky, german ambassador, on 1 august, grey stated conditions necessary britain remain neutral, perhaps lack of clarity. grey did not make clear britain not ignore breach of treaty of london (1839), respect , protect neutrality of belgium. nor seems did make clear britain support russia, @ 11:14 morning, lichnowsky sent telegram berlin indicated grey had proposed that, if germany not attack france, britain remain neutral. saturday 1 august saw difficult cabinet 11am 1.30pm. cabinet divided, (with notable exception of churchill) predominantly against war. grey threatened resign if cabinet pledged not intervene under circumstances. asquith s private preference stay out, gave grey staunch support , reckoned have resign if grey did. overnight germany issued ultimatum russia , france. first of 2 cabinets on sunday 2 august 11am 2pm. after difficulty agreed grey should tell cambon , germans royal navy not allow german navy conduct hostile operations in channel (the french fleet concentrated in mediterranean, under anglo-french naval agreement of 1912).

on monday 3 august, germany declared war on france , broke treaty invading belgium. afternoon grey made hour-long speech house of commons. grey stood @ window in foreign office, watching lamps being lit dusk approached on 3 august, famously said have remarked editor of westminster gazette, lamps going out on europe. shall not see them lit again in our time.

united german aggression against belgium, british cabinet voted unanimously war, john burns , viscount morley resigning. on afternoon of tuesday 4 august house of commons informed ultimatum had been given germany expiring midnight berlin time (11pm in london).

first world war

after outbreak of world war i, conduct of british foreign policy increasingly constrained demands of military struggle beyond grey s control. during war, grey worked marquess of crewe press reluctant ambassador united states, sir cecil spring rice, raise issue of hindu-german conspiracy american government; led unfolding of entire plot.

in years of war, grey oversaw negotiation of important secret agreements new allies (italy , arab rebels) , france , russia (the sykes-picot agreement) which, among other provisions, assigned postwar control of turkish straits russia. otherwise, asquith , grey preferred avoid discussion of war aims fear of raising issue might fracture entente. in 12 february 1916 paper new chief of imperial general staff william robertson proposed allies offer separate peace turkey, or offer turkish territory bulgaria encourage bulgaria break central powers , make peace, allow british forces in theatre redeployed against germany. grey replied britain needed continental allies more needed her, , imperial interests not incur risk (e.g., reneging on promise russia have control of turkish straits) might choose make separate peace, leave germany dominant on continent.

grey retained position foreign secretary when asquith s coalition government (which included conservatives) formed in may 1915. grey 1 of liberal ministers contemplated joining sir john simon (home secretary) in resigning in protest @ conscription of bachelors, due enacted in january 1916, did not so.

in attempt reduce workload, left house of commons house of lords in july 1916, accepting peerage viscount grey of fallodon, in county of northumberland. when asquith s ministry collapsed in december 1916 , david lloyd george became prime minister, grey went opposition.

later career

lord grey of fallodon

in 1919 grey appointed ambassador united states, post held until 1920.

by mid july 1920 lord robert cecil, moderate , staunchly pro-league of nations conservative, keen party realignment under grey, strong supporter of league.

grey had been cross @ asquith’s failure congratulate him when sent washington in 1919, reestablished relations in november 1920. asquith reached agreement grey on 29 june 1921, suggesting leader in lords , lord president of council in future liberal government, eyesight no longer enough cope paperwork of running major department. grey wanted british troops pulled out of ireland , irish left sort out, solution likened roy jenkins british withdrawal india in 1947.

the success of anti-waste league candidates @ by-elections made leading liberals feel there strong vote might tapped wider-based , more credible opposition lloyd george s coalition government. talks between grey , lord robert cecil began in june 1921. wider meeting (cecil, asquith, grey, , leading liberals lord crewe, walter runciman , sir donald maclean) held on 5 july 1921. cecil wanted genuine coalition rather de facto liberal government, grey rather asquith prime minister, , official manifesto himself , grey official liberal leaders asquith , lord crewe endorse. conservative, sir arthur steel-maitland, later joined in talks, , views similar cecil’s, maclean, runciman , crewe hostile. grey himself not keen, , eyesight have been major handicap becoming prime minister. missed third meeting, saying feeding squirrels in northumberland, , late fourth. did, however, make move speaking in former constituency in october 1921, little effect, after move party realignment fizzled out.

grey continued active in politics despite near blindness, serving leader of liberal party in house of lords 1923 until resignation on grounds unable attend on regular basis shortly before 1924 election. having declined stand chancellor of university of oxford in 1925, make way asquith s unsuccessful bid, elected unopposed in 1928 , held position until death in 1933.

private life

the wyndham sisters, john singer sargent, 1899 (metropolitan museum)

grey married dorothy, daughter of s. f. widdrington, of newton hall, northumberland, in 1885. after death in february 1906 married pamela adelaide genevieve, daughter of honourable percy wyndham , widow of lord glenconner, in 1922. there no children either marriage. according max hastings, however, grey had 2 illegitimate children result of extra-marital affairs.

portrait of sir edward grey james guthrie, circa 1924–1930.

during university years grey represented college @ football , excellent tennis player being oxford champion in 1883 (and winning varsity competition same year) , won british championship in 1889, 1891, 1895, 1896 , 1898. runner-up in 1892, 1893 , 1894, years in held office. lifelong fly fisherman, publishing book, fly fishing, on exploits in 1899, remains 1 of popular books ever written on subject. continued fish touch after deteriorating eye-sight meant no longer able see fly or rising fish. avid ornithologist; 1 of best-known photographs of him shows him robin perched on hat; charm of birds published in 1927. among liberal friends asquith , haldane, member of coefficients dining club of social reformers set in 1902 fabian campaigners sidney , beatrice webb.

lady grey of fallodon died on 18 november 1928. lord grey remained widower until death @ fallodon on 7 september 1933, aged 71, following cremated @ darlington. viscountcy became extinct on death, though succeeded in baronetcy cousin, sir george grey.