Admiralty to proceed to sea at daylight on the 4th. The Cabinet sat almost continuously throughout the Sunday, and up till luncheon-time it looked as if the majority would resign. The grief and horror of so many able colleagues were painful to witness. But what could any one do? In the luncheon interval I saw Mr. Balfour, a veritable rock in times like these, and learned that the Unionist leaders had tendered formally in writing to the Prime Minister their unqualified assurances of support. I returned to the Admiralty. We telegraphed to our Commanders-in-Chief:— To-day, August 2, at 2.20 the following note was handed to the French and German Ambassadors. [_Begins_] The British Government would not allow the passage of German ships through the English Channel or the North Sea in order to attack the coasts or shipping of France [_ends_]. Be prepared to meet surprise attacks. The French Naval Attaché, the Comte de Saint-Seine had been summoned. The following is the précis of our conversation:— _August 2, 1914._ The First Lord in the presence of the First Sea Lord and Chief of the War Staff, informed the French Naval Attaché of the Cabinet’s decision and the note on naval matters handed to M. Cambon at 2.20 p.m., August 2. In order to prepare for the possibility of an alliance being concluded between the Governments, but without prejudging the question, the following preliminary steps are to be taken:— The package containing the secret signal books to be distributed and opened but not used. Mutual regulations for the entry of allied ships into each other’s ports to be issued now. The officers in command of the Mediterranean and China Stations will be given permission to enter into communication with the French Senior Officers in command on their stations. Certain staff questions were discussed, but the First Lord clearly pointed out that these involved no question of policy which would have to be decided by Parliament. The general direction of the naval war to rest with the British Admiralty. The direction of the allied fleets in the Mediterranean to rest with the French, the British Admiral being junior. In the event of the neutrality of Italy being assured, France would undertake to deal with Austria assisted only by such British ships as would be required to cover German ships in that sea, and secure a satisfactory composition of the allied fleet. The arrangement come to locally on the China Station would be carried out under the general direction of the British Admiral. British naval bases would be at the disposal of the French. Should any portion of the German main fleet make its way South towards the Mediterranean, it would be followed by a superior British force.