British Foreign Policy under Sir Edward Grey

British Foreign Policy under Sir Edward Grey 

The Anglo-Russian Agreement, 1907- Grey saw Russia as a potential ally whereas the Conservative government saw Russia as a potential threat to the Empire as Russia was expanding in central Asia. Grey intedned to ''re-establish Russia as a factor in European politics'', on the side of Britain and France to maintain a balance of power in Europe.

Agadir Crisis, 1911

Initially, Grey tried to restrain both France and Spain, but failed, believing that his hands were tied by the 1904 Entente Cordiale. In April, he wrote ''what the French comtemplate doing is not wise, but we cannot under our agreement interfere''. The Germand dispatched a gunboat, the Panther, to Agadir. This worried Britain, as it feared that Germany meant…