Unfortunately the present war has brought many proofs that there is no small amount of truth in this indictment, and most unfortunate of all, neutral countries too accept Germany’s version that Britain is unorganized, self-interested, inefficient and effete.  And to just the same degree they are convinced that Germany is thorough.  They love Britain’s humanitarian idea, but admire German efficiency—­although they fear the latter’s militarism.

Still when they are driven to choose to whom they shall confide their vital interests, i.e., future existence, they prefer to lean on successful German thoroughness, than on Britain’s humanitarianism unsupported by the strong arm.  At the moment of writing there is wailing and gnashing of teeth throughout the British Empire at the diplomatic failure in Bulgaria and the previous fiasco in Turkey.  Sir Edward Grey has dealt with the question in Parliament, but he has not mentioned the true reason.

The true reason is that this country has fallen into the habit of sending diplomatic representatives abroad who have not been keen enough to obtain a mastery of the language, or a full knowledge of the feelings and national aspirations of the peoples to whom they were accredited.  Instead of being living ambassadors of the British idea, they have often been concrete examples before foreign eyes of British inefficiency.  An example of the language question which came under the author’s personal notice, deserves mention.

In the spring of 1914 there seemed to be a danger that a German would be appointed British Consul in Nuremberg, and in order to prevent this the author wrote to a British Minister stationed in Munich.  He was greatly surprised to receive a reply—­the latter, of course, was in English—­addressed on the outside to: 

  “Dr. T. Smith,
  “On the top of the University of Erlangen.”

That is to say, the German preposition auf was employed instead of an.  A mistake which even an elementary knowledge of German should have made impossible.  In the British Legation at Munich there was a German-British Consul—­a Munich timber-merchant.  If readers imagine that Munich was an unimportant city in the diplomatic sense, then they are recommended to study the French Yellow Book, which contains final proof that an efficient French Minister was able to make important discoveries at the Bavarian Court.

British prestige, confidence in British efficiency and power among neutrals has gravitated dangerously in the direction of zero, while admiration for Germany has correspondingly risen.  That there is only too much reason for the change, the course of the war has given ample proof, and therein lies the hope of Britain’s future.  The war will reveal to the British both their strength and weakness, and if the war does not destroy the dry rot in the land, then it is merely the precursor of Britain’s final downfall.