Exchange of Letters between France and Great Britain Respecting Armed Assistance (Grey-Cambon Letters)
aid and to act in concert, in taking any step with the Ottoman
Government or with the great Powers, with a view of obtaining
or insuring the enjoyment of rights proceeding from treaties or
otherwise granted to Greek and Bulgarian nationals, the appli-
cation of political equality, and constitutional guarantees.
Article 3. The present treaty shall remain in force for three
years from the date on which it is signed and shall be tacitly
renewed for one year, except in case of denunciation. Its denun-
ciation must be made known at least six months before the
expiration of the third year from the date on which it is signed.
Article 4. The present treaty shall be kept secret. It may not
be communicated to a third Power, either in whole or in part,
nor may it be divulged, in whole or in part, except with the con-
sent of the two high contracting parties.
The present treaty shall be ratified as soon as possible. The
ratifications shall be exchanged at Sofia (or at Athens).
In faith whereof, the respective plenipotentiaries have signed
the present treaty and have thereto affixed their seals.
Done, in duplicate, at Sofia, on May 16, 1912.
I. E. GUECHOFF.
D. PANAS.
DECLARATION
Article 1 does not apply in case of war between Greece and
Turkey as a result of the admission of Cretan deputies to the
Greek Parliament against the will of the Ottoman Government.
In such case, Bulgaria is bound only to observe friendly neutral-
ity toward Greece; and, as the settlement of the crisis in the
affairs of the Orient, resulting from the events of 1908 (likewise
as to the Cretan question), is a matter of general interest and of
a kind, without disturbing the equilibrium in the Balkan Penin-
sula, to strengthen the international situation there in the inter-
est of peace, Bulgaria (independently of the engagements
assumed by the present treaty) promises not to hinder in any
way any action which may be taken by Greece aiming to settle
this question.
I. E. GUECHOFF.
D. PANAS.
4.1218 Exchange of Letters between France and
Great Britain Respecting Armed Assistance
(Grey-Cambon Letters)
Alliance Members:France and Great Britain
Signed On:November 23, 1912, in the city of London. In force until
November 11, 1918, with the armistice ending World War I.
Alliance Type:Entente (Type III)
Source:The New York Times Current History,p. 355.
Additional Citations:Readings in Twentieth-Century European History,
p. 37–38.
SUMMARY
The potential emergence of Germany as the major power on the Con-
tinent, made obvious by its participation in the naval race with Britain
as well as agreements with Austria and the Turks aimed at carving up
the remains of the Ottoman Empire, alarmed Britain and France
enough by 1912 that in a series of letters they established a defensive
alliance against potential German expansion.
English naval strength could account for only so much resistance to
German ascendancy, and French land forces were expected to be nec-
essary for preventing the Germans from sitting across the Channel.
German power had become such a threat that other allies would soon
be sought in order to increase pressure on the Central Powers and
force them into a two-front war. The signing of the alliance marked
the failure of Chancellor Otto von Bismarck’s long-standing policy of
isolating France, although the alliance was not a deterrent sufficient
for preventing the outbreak of war in the East and its quick spread to a
western front.
Russia also participated as an ally, although Russia exited the war after
the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917; other late signatories were Italy,
Japan, and the United States. The alliance survived in some form
through the signing of the armistice in 1918, when its terms became
useless.Exchange of Notes
Foreign Office,
November 22, 1912.
My dear Ambassador:
From time to time in recent years the French and British
naval and military experts have consulted together. It has always
been understood that such consultation does not restrict the
freedom of either government to decide at any future time
whether or not to assist the other by armed force. We have
agreed that consultation between experts is not, and ought not
to be regarded as, an engagement that commits either govern-
ment to action in a contingency that has not arisen and may
never arise. The disposition, for instance, of the French and
British fleets respectively at the present moment is not based
upon an engagement to co-operate in war.
You have, however, pointed out that, if either government
had grave reason to expect an unprovoked attack by a third
Power, it might become essential to know whether it could in
that event depend upon the armed assistance of the other.
I agree that, if either government had grave reason to expect
an unprovoked attack by a third Power, or something that
threatened the general peace, it should immediately discuss
with the other whether both governments should act together
to prevent aggression and to preserve peace, and, if so, what
measures they would be prepared to take in common. If these
measures involved action, the plans of the General Staffs would
at once be taken into consideration, and the governments
would then decide what effect should be given to them.
Yours, &c.,
E. GREY.