German sympathizers attributed the attitude of the American Government in permitting the vessel to sail as a "dare" to Great Britain, and the fact that Great Britain had announced her intention of taking up this "dare" made the situation still more tense.
When matters had reached this pass Page one day dropped into the Foreign Office.
"Have you ever heard of the British fleet, Sir Edward ?" he asked.
Grey admitted that he had, though the question obviously puzzled him.
"Yes," Page went on musingly.

"We've all heard of the British fleet.
Perhaps we have heard too much about it.

Don't you think it's had too much advertising ?" The Foreign Secretary looked at Page with an expression that implied a lack of confidence in his sanity.
"But have you ever heard of the French fleet ?" the American went on.
"France has a fleet too, I believe." Sir Edward granted that.
"Don't you think that the French fleet ought to have a little advertising ?" "What on earth are you talking about ?" "Well," said Page, "there's the _Dacia_.

Why not let the French fleet seize it and get some advertising ?" A gleam of understanding immediately shot across Grey's face.

The old familiar twinkle came into his eye.
"Yes," he said, "why not let the Belgian royal yacht seize it ?" This suggestion from Page was one of the great inspirations of the war.
It amounted to little less than genius.