Mitteilungen des Österreichischen Staatsarchivs 35. (1982)
WILSON, Keith: Isolating the Isolator. Cartwright, Grey and the seduction of Austria-Hungary 1908–1912
188 Keith Wilson ing of the Monarchy within her present limits. There is perhaps a great deal of truth in what Baron von Aehrenthal said to M. Crozier, and it may throw light upon a mysterious remark he once made to me when discussing similar subjects - that there were things which he could not explain to me then, ‘mais c’est ä vous de les comprendre’. I asked the French Ambassador what he thought Baron von Aehrenthal’s attitude was towards Servia. He replied that in his opinion Baron von Aehrenthal was becoming the only man in Austria-Hungary who was sincerely opposed to military action being taken against that country. Public feeling here is becoming strongly in favour of Austria-Hungary putting an end to the present unsatisfactory situation by taking some drastic measure, and the military party declare that the cost of maintaining the army on a war footing in Bosnia is as great a burden as would be the cost of a campaign; moreover, both officers and men are becoming stale from inaction, and people are beginning to say that the only course for Austria-Hungary to pursue is for her to occupy Belgrade and to announce that she will retire from it as soon as Servia disarms and gives guarantees that she will in future remain peacefully within the limits assigned to her at the Berlin Congress. Baron von Aehrenthal complained bitterly to M. Crozier of the trouble he had in resisting the pressure of public opinion on the Servian question, and that in spite of all that he could do he might be driven to take strong action with regard to that little state. I pointed out to M. Crozier that the newspapers this morning announced that the Servian government had sent out a circular note to the powers, embodying the demands of Servia, and that the Vienna cabinet would scrutinize with great care the manner in which that note would be received by the various powers. After much discussion on this subject, M. Crozier agreed with me that the only way not to create annoyance here would be for the powers simply to acknowledge the receipt of the note in question and then to say nothing more about it. This interesting despatch tends to show that the Triple Alliance is rapidly becoming little more than a name and that Baron d’Aehrenthal is at last turning to England and France. R. H. Collier. If M. Crozier is correctly informed as to Baron d’Aehrenthal’s views it would appear that Austria, dissatisfied with the Triple Alliance and what it has brought her, wishes to cement her relations with France, Russia and Great Britain (the so called ‘Entente’ Powers). This however, if it came to pass, might easily bring about a very dangerous situation, for if Germany is deserted by the only ally on whom she feels able to depend, she will be quite certain to regard this as the final link in the ‘Einkreisung’ policy of Great Britain, and may then be seriously tempted to resort to the fortunes of war to burst through the iron ring encircling her - and in such a war the German government would have the German people behind them. G. S. Spicer, 8 Feb. 1909 s). It would be a poor return for the line taken by Germany in the Bosnia Herzegovina crisis. W. Langley. For the reason given above I told Sir F. Cartwright originally to do nothing which would make mischief between Germany and Austria. But Germany by her agreement with France about Morocco has been beforehand with Austria in the policy of making friends. Sir F. Cartwright’s activity in getting at the mind of the diplomatists with whom he has to deal and his ability in reporting the substance of his conversations are most valuable. E. Grey. ’) Assistant Clerk 1906-12.
