• On Thursday the Prime Minister, instead of the Foreign
Secretary—a sign in itself of the gravity of the position—
made a statement in the House of Commons as to the situa- tion. The facts, as he stated them, are : (1) Conversations between Germany and France are proceeding. (2) We are not a party to those conversations. (3) The subject of them may not affect British interests, but, on the other hand, it may. (4) It is our desire that those conversations should result in a settlement of which we can cordially say that there is no prejudice to British interests, and the Government believe that to be quite possible. The Prime Minister proceeded :—
"The question of Morocco itself bristles with difficulties, but outside Morocco, in other parts of West Africa, we should not 'think of attempting to interfere with territorial arrangements considered reasonable by those who are more directly interested. Any statements that we have so interfered to prejudice negotia- tions between France and Germany are thischievous inventions without the faintest foundation in fact."
