B.
Considering how disastrous it would be if any petty incident occurred which could cause trouble at this fateful moment with Italy and approving of the First Sea Lord’s precaution, I replied in writing:—
August 4.
So proceed. Foreign Office should intimate this to Italian Government.
W. S. C.
Thereupon at 12.55 p.m. the following telegram was sent by the Admiralty to the Commander-in-Chief in the Mediterranean:—
Italian Government have declared neutrality. You are to respect this neutrality rigidly and should not allow any of His Majesty’s ships to come within six miles of Italian coast.
This certainly as it turned out was destined to complicate the task of catching the Goeben; but not, as it will appear, in a decisive manner.
During the afternoon I sent the following minute to the Chief of the Staff and the First Sea Lord.
August 4, 1914.