There were
extensive notes on army and navy matters. Churchill, for instance,
had carefully noted the full strength that Austria and Germany could
muster in case of war. Kinderlen-Waechter had recorded the full
strength of England and Austria as given by Churchill and Moritz. So
had Moritz taken down German and English statistics. Obviously it was
a triangular alliance, each noting to what extent dependence could be
placed upon the other. Then there were data on the French and Russian
armies and navies. The significance of that was apparent. What
puzzled me, hovrever, were numerous statistics on Holland and Belgium.
Not until Kinderlen-Waechter and Churchill, squatting down by the
fireplace and poking the burning papers with old-fashioned irons, not
until then, when there began a conversation and other pairs conversed
on certain points all around the room, did I gain a clear idea of just
what had happened. What they said, the vital scraps of their
conversation as they drifted to me while I moved to and from the table
and fireplace, I shall now present as close to the words of the men
involved as I am able.
Heeringen, who had drawn Haldane aside, said: "We are ready at any
time with 3,500,000 men without any further straining of our reserves.
According to our latest agreement Austria will support us with
2,000,000 more men. The financial aspect of this is, of course, out
of my hands.
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