Lewis Harcourt's Journal of the 1914 War Crisis

ABSTRACT Lewis Harcourt, who was Colonial Secretary in Britain's Liberal government, from 1908 to 1915, kept a political journal for many years, some earlier parts of which have already been published. Reproduced below is the whole neat version of the journal from 26 July 1914, when Harcourt first mentions the events of the ‘July Crisis’, until 4 August, when Britain declared war on Germany. Originals of the entries are kept at the Bodleian Library, Oxford in file Ms. Eng. c. 8269 of the ‘Further Papers of Lewis Harcourt’, which only came to light in 2008. Historians can be grateful that Harcourt kept such a record of ministerial discussions during the July Crisis, because no official records were taken of Cabinet meetings before 1916, apart from short reports by the Prime Minister to the King. There are some diary entries, letters and memoranda from those involved, but the only source with comparative detail to Harcourt's is the diary kept by the education minister, Jack Pease, which has already been published.

I motored over this morning to see Asquith 10 at Sutton Courtenay 11 to know what had happened. He s[ai]d. the Cab. had decided to go on with the 2 nd R [eading]. of the Amending Bill 12 on Tuesday and we are to announce that we shall omit from it the time limit. Redmond 13 and Co. very much disturbed and may abstain from the 2 nd R. division: if they do so (supported by the Lab. Party) & the Opposition vote against, we shall be beaten 14 but I don't think it will come to this.
I impressed on the P.M. that we must accept no conditions from the King which entail a Dissolution. 15 He professed to agreebut I doubt his convictionand he sd. that if the King offered to assent to the H[ome].R [ule]. Bill with an immediate dissolution after, and we resisted and were dismissed, he thought the King wd. win at the Election.
I sd. I would sooner go to the country dismissed but with our Party intact than retain office with our party shattered and defeat by them certain.
We talked about the probable Austro-Servian War (Austria has refused the Servian reply 16 ) and I told him that under no circs. could I be a party to our participation in a European War. ' I warned him that he ought to order Churchill 17 to move no ship anywhere without instructions from the Cabinet. I have a profound distrust of Winston's judgement & loyalty & I believe that if the German fleet moved out into the Channel (agst. Francenot us) he would be capable of launching our fleet at them without reference to the Cabinet.
The P.M. poohpoohed the ideabut I think he is wrong not to take this precaution.' We discussed in desultory way the Dublin gun-running & firing by soldiers there yesterday. It appears the firing was done by privates on their own initiative without orders.
Harrell (Asst. Comm. Of Police) who was sent for to Castle to receive orders did not go there, but went straight to military whom he called out on his own authority. He has been suspended this morning. 18 Nationalist Party cd. think of nothing else today at their Party meeting (& move the adjournment of the House on the subject at 8.15 tonight) so we have postponed the Amending Bill from tomorrow. Birrell 19 thinks they will agree to our proposal to drop the time limit for exclusion out of our Bill.
Then we discussed the Austro-Servian crisis. It looks as if war there was certain. But will Russia come in: followed by Germany & France. 20 Churchill met Ballin 21 at Cassel's 22 last night and B. asked Churchill if England wd. remain neutral if Germany promised when she defeated France to take no French soil but only some of her Colonies! I said it was inconceivable that we should take part in a European War on a Servian issue, but still more inconceivable that we should base our abstention on such a bargain. Grey 23 is working hard for peace and not belligerentbut Ll [oyd]. Geo[rge]. 24 is! After the Cabinet I had talks with several colleagues in order to form a Peace Party which if necessary shall break up the Cabinet in the interest of our abstention.
If we destroyed this Govt. to prevent war, no other cd make it. It is said the first shots have been fired this afternoon by Servia on Austria.' 36 29 July, Political Journal 'Cabinet today at 10 D. St. 11.30 29.7.14 Grey latewith German Ambassador. 37 Churchill (with P.M.'s assent yesterday) has removed all gunboats etc. patrolling Irish coast against armsas boats are wanted with fleet in North Sea owing to possible War. This will allow arms to go freely into Ireland as Customs Officers will stop only small quantity.
We discussed shortly an idea of turning both Ulster and Nat [ionalist]. Volunteers into Territorials 38 This wd. require an amendmt. of the Territorial Act. We regarded it favourablybut the time is not yet. Redmond 42 Everyone agreed we should not land troops in Belgium. France might want us to do so on the French side of Belgian frontier.
McKenna sd. we cd. more effectively deal with German aggression on Belgium by our fleet sealing up German ocean traffic. In first few weeks of war all German railways wd. be in use for troops & not available for ordinary food supplies.
We might try to make with France & Germany similar agreements to those of '70 for our neutrality if Belgian territory not violated, but this wd. be notice to Germany of our non participation -& regarded at this moment by France as an unfriendly act Russia says we can prevent Europ. War by saying we shall support France -German says we can prevent it by saying we shall not do so.
Grey is afraid that at any moment France may ask us if we mean to stand by her. This of course cannot be answered without a Cabinet decision: we do not decide that today: new circs. may arise.
(I am determined not to remain in the Cab. if they decide to join in a warbut they cannot so decide as I am certain now I can take at least 9 colleagues out with me on resignation, viz. Morley, Burns, Beauchamp, McK Wood, Pease, Samuel, Hobhouse, Runciman, Ll. Geo. & Winston less bellicose today than at our last meeting. Grey does not believe that our action wd. be a real deciding element in the outbreak (or not) of war.
Reuters 44 have just informed Grey that the opinion in Berlin is that our intervention wd. be too late (to prevent them using the Belgian route?) Sazanoff 45  . this afternoon and to say to the German "you must not assume that we shall not join France" and to the French 47 "you must not assume that we shall join you" This is a sound strong & honest Diplomatic position so long as we in Cabinet do not commit ourselves to a decision. When (and if) we do, Grey's position will be hopelessly weakened.
Gen. Macready 48 has been again to Belfast: he says if the Provisional Govt. it will do nothing & seize nothing and can properly be neglected.
The Amending Bill 2 nd R. is to be taken tomorrow. The Irish Nat. have reluctantly agreed to our dropping the time limit and giving the County option.
Went over to C [olonial].O[ffice]. (after luncheon at 10 Downing St.) and ordered "Precautionary" telegrams to be sent to all Colonies and Dominions.
European situation getting worse tonight. Up till 2 a.m. in H of C. carrying Report & 3 rd reading of my Nationality Bill. 49 McKenna has had long talk with Ll.Geo. Ll.G. is now is now [sic] in full flight to us (Peace party) got ear to ground, finds public opin. strong against war and wants to be with it: even wanting to make speech in that sense: God forbid, it wd. cause war. Winston also less bellicose, also wants to be on popular side.
Gives me impression of man who has looked over precipice & drawn back, but these popularity hunters not to be trusted. We who don't care for public opinion must act when these men are wobbling back to war as they will be in a few days.
McKenna thinks the P.M. does not mean to go into war as long as he is at the War Office.' 50 30 July, Political Journal 'Heard this morn that "search" of ships had been made at Gib[raltar]. last night. Sent for copies of telegrams from Adm[iralty]. to Gib. & Malta sent yesterday. They were correct & warned that search was not to be commenced. Sent special fresh warnings by tel. to all Domins. & Cols. to prevent searcham much afraid of an "incident" over search on some German vessel.
Lambert 51 of Admlty told me Churchill last night hired "Acquitania" 52 (Cunard)? What for? Transport of troops to Belgium or for guard ship in Mersey? Also commandeered all coal in South Wales -Cardiff paralysed; he is sd. to have incurred expenditure of over £1,000,000he told us at Cab. yesterday "Precautionary" stage expenses wd not exceed £10,000. I think he has gone mad. Every room in Admiralty lighted and men at work when I passed at 2 a.m. this morning. I fear he is carrying his preparation too far and getting prematurely in the war stage.
Had Ld. Gladstone 53 60 Birrell all been in my room this afternoonall with me, but Hobhouse with some reservations as to Belgium (he was of course a soldier).
Jellicoe 61 takes command of Channel Fleet today. I sent Sir H. Miles 62 (Govr. of Gib.) back to his post todaypledged on word of honour to avoid any "incident" Simon sd. to me pointing to Pease "my views are those of his forebears". 63 Lambert tells me Winston's mad commandeering of coal has been cancelled this afternoon.
My prescribed duty in "precautionary stage" to ask Australia to place her fleet at our disposal & put under command of Admiralty.
I declined to send this tel. this morn. on ground premature, unnecessary and that I wanted initiative to be taken by Australiaif initiative failed I would tel (priv. and pers.) to R.M. Ferguson 64 to try to produce it. At 5 p.m. recd. acknlgmt. fr. Austral. of my "warning" tel. with unofficial offer of their fleet for our purposes.
Sent tel. to Admlty and P.M. -Admlty asked me to tel. to Austr. for fleet to go to "War stations." I did so with regret (cd. not take responsibil. of refusing)think premature, but possibly justified on ground of great distances for their fleet e.g. The Australia 65 has got to go to coast of West. Australia.
Hobhouse hears from Pres. of Dresdener Bank that Germany has given Russia 24 hours to explain her mobilisation, failing which Germany will mobilise.
Emmott 66 and Vernon 67 (of C.O.) came to me this morn. to say French delegates to New Hebrides Commiss. must return to France on Sat. (convinced War will be declared by Monday) and Commiss. must meet at 10 a.m. tomorrow morn to conclude report etc. 68 Important decision as to imported labour ought to be a Cabinet decision: impossible to ask Grey & Asquith & Cabinet to consider at this moment.
Told Asq. at Cab. yesterday. He said "I have complete confidence in youdecide as you think best." I have given Emmott his instructions.
J. Morley told me this aft. he was prepared to resign at my signal, but I don't think it will be tomorrow.
Ld. Bryce 69 has been to meand separately Molteno 70 M.P. on behalf of Radicals to ask situation. Both sd. they were confident in me and as long as I stayed in Cabinet they wd. assume that peace was assured. I am to let them know if that situation alters.' War situation I fear much worse tonight. Pray God I can still smash our Cabinet before they can commit the crime.' Proposes to tell him this afternoon that present Engl. opinion wd. not support our participation. If Belgium violated, might change public opin. but in any case we could never promise assistance without assent of H of Commons e.g. vote of credit 72 wd. be necessary.
Grey reported monstrous proposal of Bethmann Hollweg of yesterday that we shd. declare neutrality on promise that Germany wd. not violate neutrality of Holland now and guarantee neutrality of Belgium after the war! If was successful French territory not to be annexed but this not to apply to Fr. colonies, & an offer of some permanent German neutrality afterwards.
Grey refused this at once in an admirable telegram (approved before sent by Asq & Ll.Geo.) A Ponsonby 73 M.P. wants to put quest. to P.M. in H of C. at 12 today asking for promise that we not commit country to war without consulting H of C. Grey saw Ponsonby last night & told him that we have made no promises & use no "threats" to anyone. Grey is inclined to give the answer A.P. wants, but not till Monday. Some colleagues rather unwillingothers sd 'it amounts to nothing.' I pressed answer should be given as it helps our Peace friends to keep quietmost important they should do so and we in Cab. still remain uncommitted so as to strengthen Grey's hands diplomatically. A.P. asked to postpone till Monday when Asq. will probably give him the answer.
Ll.Geo. has been (at Asq's request) exploring mercantile & business opinion on our participation in war. Ll.Geo. now hotly & earnestly on our (Peace) side. Gov. of Bank of England 74 & all city opinion aghast at any possibility of our being dragged in. Business men in North say if we were all mills factorys [sic] mines, shipping etc. stopped. Wholesale unemployment, population starving because no wages to buy food. One man sd. to him, "they won't be able to buy food but they will get it "England will be in revolution in a week" Ll.G. very eloquent agst. our participation & impressed Cabinetbut as he depends on public opin. he may wobble over again in 2 days.
(We recurred to Greys prospective talk with Cambon this afternoon and Grey sd. definitely that he wd. make no promises as to our action in hypothetical circs.) I feel now that this Cabinet will never join in this warthough several colleagues are uneasy on the subject of our treaty obligations about Belgium.
The situation seems distinctly better this morning as yesterday Vienna and St. Petersburg "began talking again" (Grey's words Asq. and I also agst. immediate adoption. Winston very angryoverwrought & excitable. (I hear that the hiring of Acquitania & commandeering of S.W. coal was a "happy inspiration" on Wed. night after dinner, but that he cancelled both yesterday morning) Redmond has suggested (& P.M. inclined to accept) that H.R. Bill should become law now -Amending Bill to be dropped until winter session but pledge given that H.R. Bill should not be brought into operation until an Amending Bill has been "disposed of." Redmond says that with the H.R. Bill on the Statute Bk he would be able to make much larger concessions than now (perhaps all the 6 counties). I feel that Ulster cd. never agree to this and must set up Provisional Govt. at once.
Asq. met B Law & Carson in someone else's house on Tues. to agree to the postponement on that day of the Amending Bill and Carson sd. he thought that if the lge no. of Brit. reserve officers now in the Ulster Volunteers were called up to rejoin on War they wd. decline to leave Ulster! We suppose he thought this might intimidate Asq. which it did not. It wd. destroy the public respect for the "loyal"! volunteers & all true officers wd. be liable as deserters during war to be shot!! It wd. be almost worthwhile to call up the reserves in order to exhibit such a situation!! Cabinet rose at 1 p.m. Asq. told us we must not go far from Londoni.e. I might go to Nuneham, but Samuel  Also filed with the 31 July entry are two notes, on Downing Street headed paper. First Note Harcourt to Pease: 'This is going well so far ' Pease to Harcourt: 'I can't stand our being now committed (to be drawn into war) by saying what we will do in hypothetical circumstances.' Harcourt to Pease: 'But Grey is not proposing to commit us to any hypothetical position. ' Pease to Harcourt: 'I thought so in reply to Cambon's question.' Second Note Simon to Harcourt: 'One large consideration not mentioned today is the importance of Great Britain being in a position in the latter stages of a European war (1) to mediate as a friend all round (2) to re-establish European finance.' Harcourt to Simon: 'I think our abstention is vital but I don't think as a result anyone will regard us as a friend.' Bankers also want to be allowed to deposit £15 mills Gold and £30 mills. of securities in Bank of England and to receive £45 mills. of notes in exchange. 98 We made the arrangement terminable with the Moratorium. The Bk of England were very obstinate. 99 We shall have to suspend all Standing Orders on Monday in the H of C. to get a Moratorium Billwe are now 6.15 discussing the details of this.
The Admlty now wish the "examination" of all ships in defended ports to take place. I consulted the P.M. and he thinks the time has come. So I send my telegrams to Issue of £1 and 10/-[shilling] Bk notes will take at least 3 weeks: in mean time we can make Postal notes legal tender: we have £2,500,000 in stock and can get £500,000 per diem.
War risk sea insurance (Huth Jackson's scheme) approved. War is declar. by Germany on Russia. Luxemburg is invaded by Germans -Duchy has protested to us. 101 Germ. troops are moving south as if they did not mean to enter Belgium.
The Germ. Ambass. saw P.M. this morninghe was in tears & sd. it is not France but my country wh. is going to be crushedhe thinks his Govt. mad.
Grey saw the Fr. ambass. yesterdayhe also in tears. Grey told him we shd. not send troops to France to defend the Franco-Belg. frontier (this now less necess. as Italy has declared her neutrality & thus releases 6 divs. of Fr. troops fr. the Ital. frontier).
Grey also told Cambon that we took yesterday no decis. as to Belgian neutrality or as to our action if Germ. fleet came into Channel.
But Grey sd. it was vital to him that he shd. today assure Cambon that if the Germ. Fleet attacked French Coast we wd. prevent it & use all our naval power, and he must say this in Parlt. tomorrow.
Nothing is to be sd. today to Cambon (whom Grey sees at 2.30) as to our attitude to a breach of Belg. neutrality.
Grey is much stronger than before for joining in war and wd. like to promise France our help today.
Crewe 102 from all he sd. this morning seems to be with "us." We agreed to refuse to go to war merely on a violation of Belg. neutrality by a traverse for invasion purposes of territory but to regard any permanent danger or threat to Belg. independence (such as occupation) as a vital Brit. interest.  117 We are to fire on German dreadnought (Goeben) in the Mediterranean if it tries to stop French transports: we to stop her getting out to prey on our commerce in the Atlantic. 118 We are sending an ultimatum to Germany & to have the answer by midnight Belgium has informed Belgium that her territory will be violated by force of arms.
The 'Krone Princessan' with £2 mills (American) coin has come into Falmouth and been detained by local military force. The gold is consigned to England, not Germany, though destined for the latter.
Winston says she is only to discharge her bullion and then be released. Grey wants her detained altogether.
The ship we heard of yesterday as going north was the wrong one and had no gold on board Discussed seizure of German colonies: I said "No, better wait a bit." I told the Cab. I was holding back Dominion Exped. Forces for the present & they approved. I spoke about Territorials & farmers horse & begged they should not be impounded now in the middle of the harvest.
I want a Committee at once to deal with food distribution. The Goeben will be warned that if she shoots at French transports we shall sink her. Germany has now declared War on France. I insisted, and Asq. agreed, that orders shd. be sent to our Mediterranean Fleet not to fire on "Goeben" till we have become at war with Germany. Winston was compelled to end these orders & at once. The wireless was sent off at 12.50 p.m.
There are many German spies here now & have been for a long time: we have full evidence against them & shall seize them at once. 119 Grey read us his telegram to Goschen at Berlin, which is an ultimatum: we say we must have an assurance from Germanysimilar to that from France last weekas to the neutrality of Belgium.
Germany said to have sent an ultimatum to Sweden & may do so to Norway. 120 Grey wants to offer Holland & Norway (as well as Belgium a guarantee of future integrity if they will remain neutral now.