9 July: Grey sees Lichnowsky again. Grey admits there have been naval talks between Britain and Russia but everything has been on the basis that the hands of the British government are completely free.
He goes on to report the Russian ambassador has said St. Petersburg has no hostility toward Germany.
Grey says if Austria-Hungary’s action is reasonable and doesn’t provoke pan-Slav feeling it would be comparatively easy to encourage patience in St. Petersburg. If, however, Vienna went too far then pan-Slav feeling would force St Petersburg to act. [More]