ملف ١٩٠٤/٢٧٦٤ الجزء ٣ "سكة حديد بغداد: مفاوضات عامة ١٩١٠-١٩١٢." [و‎‎٢‎٤‎١] (٥٤٤/٤٩٢)

I;
Sir Edward Grey to Sir E. Goschen,
(No. 181. Confidential.)
Sir, Foreign Ofice, July 18, 1910.
HERR VON STUMM, lately Councillor of the German Embassy in London and
now an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Berlin, paid recently a short visit to
this country.
In the course of his stay in London he arranged to call on Mr. Parker, of this Office,
at his private house, and spoke to him of the relations between Great Britain and
Germany.
Herr von Stumm criticised with considerable warmth the attitude of His Majesty’s
Government towards the German Government, and, amongst many other expressions of
dissatisfaction, complained of their delay in replying to the recent memorandum of the
German Chancellor suggesting a method of settling the questions at issue between the
two countries.
In the light of a reperusal of my recent despatches on this subject, more especially
of my despatch Wyour Excellency No. 148 of the 31st May and after reading your
despatch No. 194,’^Confidential, of the 3rd July containing an account of your recent
interview with Herr von Bethmann-Hollweg, I feel that too much importance need not
be attached to Herr von Stumm’s complaint.
Only six weeks have elapsed since my interview with the German Ambassador
here, recorded in my despatch No, 148 of the 31st May, and in the circumstances there
appears to me to be* no pressing need for a reply, while the policy of not moving further
till the Russian Government have given their long-promised answer respecting a
Russo-German understanding with regard to Persian affairs offers certain advantages^
As your Excellency is aware, His Majesty’s Government are at this moment in
communication with the Russian Government for the settlement of the question
whether the negotiations between the two Powers and Germany should be conducted
jointly or only simultaneously.
I am, &c.
E. GREY.
[2825 s—-1]