The fact that he had established these splendid personal relations with Mr.Wilson, and that he had impressed the American public so deeply with his sincerity and fine purpose, made him especially valuable for this particular appeal.
Page and Admiral Sims therefore went to the Foreign Office and laid all the facts before him.

Their own statements, Page informed the Foreign Secretary, were evidently regarded as hysterical and biased by an unreasoning friendliness to Great Britain.

If Mr.Balfour would say the same things over his own signature, then they would not be disbelieved.
Mr.Balfour gladly consented.

He called in Admiral Jellicoe and asked him to draft a despatch, so that all the technical facts would be completely accurate.

He also consulted with Sir Edward Carson, the First Lord of the Admiralty.