Diplomacy Before the Russian Revolution: Britain, Russia, and the Old Diplomacy, 1894-1917 (Studies in Diplomacy)

IX ## Preface I have of course incurred numerous debts in the course of my research. I must therefore confine myself to thanking Geoff Berridge for his support and understanding during this project, and to acknowledge the fact that my previous employer, Brunei University, provided me with a short period of study leave. My numerous intellectual debts will be apparent from the end notes and bibliography. I should also thank the editors of Diplomacy and Statecraft and European History Quarterly for giving me permission to draw on work I have already published. Material in the Hardinge Papers is reproduced by permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library; material in the Royal Archives is reproduced by the gracious permission of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II; Crown copyright material in the Public Record Office is reproduced by permission of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. This book is dedicated to Katie, who has been a constant reminder that all the most important things in life take place outside universities. "During the years before the Russian Revolution, diplomats across Europe were widely condemned for lacking the skills needed to cope in the threatening international environment. They were also frequently criticized for being out of touch with public opinion and too ready to clothe their activities in a veil of secrecy. This book suggests that many of these charges were unfair. Important changes took place in the organization of the British Foreign Office in the early years of the twentieth century. Administrative reform even took place in the Russian Foreign Ministry, despite the reputation of the tsarist bureaucracy for incompetence and venality. In both Britain and Russia, however, the role of diplomats and foreign ministry officials was governed above all by changes in the domestic political environment. While they played an important part in determining the foreign policy of their respective countries, their influence was often much weaker than their critics assumed."--BOOK JACKET. This book reassesses the transformation of European diplomacy which took place at the beginning of the twentieth century. It focuses on the British and Russian diplomatic establishments during the years 1894-1917 in order to illustrate both the heterogeneity and complex nature of the 'Old Diplomacy'. The book will 'ground' discussion in a series of case-studies designed to illustrate both the benefits and the pitfalls of generalizing about a complicated process of transformation that had a range of social, political, administrative and psychological dimensions. Front Matter....Pages i-xii The Old Diplomacy and Anglo-Russian Relations....Pages 1-19 The British Foreign Office and Russia....Pages 20-61 The British Embassy in St Petersburg....Pages 62-96 British Consuls in Russia....Pages 97-123 The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1894–1914....Pages 124-177 The British and Russian Diplomatic Establishments 1914–17....Pages 178-199 Conclusion....Pages 200-207 Back Matter....Pages 200-222