‘It is these things and others of a similar nature when the German “sabre has been rattled” constantly in the face of Europe, that demonstrated that Germany was the enemy of peace, and which, crowned by the breach of the Treaty of Belgium, showed to the Allies that no treaty would hold Germany, and that her aspirations and lust for world power were Napoleonic. Lastly the Allies knew that Germany had resolved on war and was making a catspaw of Austria by preventing her from coming to an agreement with Servia and Russia.
‘I have said nothing about the systematic building of the German navy. It was within her rights as a Sovereign Power, but none the less the avowed object was to seize the “Trident of the Seas” and to attack Great Britain. It was obviously intended to attack our coasts, so as to enable an invasion of this country to be possible, and to seize the colonies of Great Britain and France.
‘Germany was utterly deceived by her diplomatists about England, which was troubled with threats of civil war and by trade disputes, and they never thought that we would stand up for Belgium and fight now rather than later. It is chagrin at the miscalculation, combined with the effects of our maritime power, which has produced the outburst of hatred against us. Commercial rivalry has no real basis for hatred, and as for the question of a “place in the sun,” Germany has large and advantageous colonial possessions but can do but little with those which she owns, and has preferred to compete with us in our colonies as she has done so long and so successfully.
‘All this history of German jealousy, hatred and designs is very sad, and I do not suppose that your German friend, obsessed as he is, would listen to any facts or arguments. But since I began to write, somewhat hurriedly, to you I have been led on to write more than I intended to try to deal with. I do not imagine that he has seen or would be allowed to see the statement of the British case in the White Paper, which I understand will be further elaborated in a new paper to be published next Tuesday.
‘Have you answered your friend’s letter, or have you looked upon it as hopeless to do so? In the temper in which he wrote there was nothing visible but fighting to a finish.
‘Yours very sincerely,
‘(Signed) J. Wolfe Barry.
‘P.S.—I suppose you have not had another letter? It would be interesting to see one of a later date than August 29th.
‘J. W. B.’
N.B.—A copy of Sir John Wolfe Barry’s letter was sent by Mr. A. B. to his German business friend, but no reply was attempted and the correspondence then ceased.
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