Edward Grey
Edward Grey
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon, KG PC DL FZS, better known as Sir Edward Grey, 3rd Baronet, was a British Liberal statesman. An adherent of the "New Liberalism", he served as Foreign Secretary from 1905 to 1916, the longest continuous tenure of any person in that office. He is probably best remembered for his "the lamps are going out" remark on 3 August 1914 on the outbreak of the First World War. He signed the Sykes-Picot Agreement on...
NationalityBritish
ProfessionPolitician
Date of Birth25 April 1862
bind cannot entertain government moment neutrality proposal themselves
His Majesty's Government cannot for a moment entertain the Chancellor's proposal that they should bind themselves to neutrality on such terms.
antagonism arise bring cannot conceive future germans immediate ourselves point
I cannot conceive any point which can arise in the immediate future which would bring ourselves and the Germans into antagonism of interests.
conditions modern nations poured resources
Under modern conditions whole nations could be mobilized at once and their whole life-blood and resources poured out in a torrent.
apparent became call great halt obvious powers recoil seemed
I thought this must be obvious to everyone else, as it seemed obvious to me; and that, if once it became apparent that we were on the edge, all the Great Powers would call a halt and recoil from the abyss.
crushed europe further german great lose material point position proposal taken territory
From the material point of view the proposal is unacceptable, for France, without further territory in Europe being taken from her, could be so crushed as to lose her position as a Great Power, and become subordinate to German policy.
war
After a big war a nation doesn't want another for a generation or more.