July 4, 1911: Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon and Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom , was in excruciating pain. His stomach felt as if he had been repeatedly punched, and he feared being further than just a few feet from the loo.
Despite his pain, today's meeting was just too important to miss. Once again France and Germany were squabbling over the last pickings of Africa and once again the flash point was Morocco. Unfortunately for the French their humiliating loss to Germany of just forty years ago still haunted them, and their army remained grossly inadequate to defeat the German threat that loomed just across their border. So once again Her Majesty's government was called upon to pull their fat out of the frier.
But Grey struggled with his churning stomach as the meeting proceeded. It took the person speaking to him several attempts to finally get his attention.
"What, What by God is it!?" He snapped barely able to lift his head to look at the person addressing him.
"I was just inquiring as to the Foreign Office's position on the matter regarding Germany's flagrant provocation by way of their dispatch of a gunboat to Agadir." Prime Minister Asquith stated calmly despite Grey's clearly agitated response.
By now his stomach felt as if it would burst, sending whatever remained of the the tainted food he had consumed last night sailing about the room.
Grey attempted to regain his composure and respond in a polite manner befitting how one should address the Prime Minister, but just as he went to speak a painful convulsion ripped through his abdomen causing him to swear under his breath and grit his teeth.
"Damn them. Damn." He muttered. "France and Germany. Again and again. To hell with the Frogs. Pain. Pain in the..."
And with that he ran out of the room to find the nearest facilities. The rest of the Cabinet sat in stunned silence monetarily until Asquith spoke up.
"Well a bit of a surprise that was, but perhaps Grey is right. Let us remain uninvolved for now. It will be better not to attempt anything too radical, what with the Lords still angered over their recent neutering and the King non too happy with us as well. I'll send a message through the normal channels informing the French that our stance on Morocco is one of "No stance towards Morocco." That should cool them off for a bit and who knows maybe things will settle themselves out in a year or two." Asquith said before moving on to other business.
Benjamin
PS: This of course could spell the end to the Entente Cordial and perhaps drive Spain into the arms of a more adventurous Germany. but I'd bet that within two years time we'd have a major war on our hands.
