Cripps arrived in Moscow without his credentials for readily comprehensible reasons: after all, he left London while still in the capacity of special envoy, and it was only during his journey that he became ambassador. During our discussions about Cripps’s status, Butler made casual reference to the credentials: what should be done if Cripps, on being appointed ambassador, proceeded directly from Athens to the USSR? To this I answered just as casually, and with an air of perfect innocence: ‘Send the credentials by telegraph.’

I had the impression that my reply struck Butler as something so obvious as to require no further comment. The conversation took place in early June. When the question of Cripps’s status was finally resolved, I felt sure that the FO had sent the credentials by telegraph.

What a surprise it was, therefore, to receive on the evening of 15 June (three days after Cripps’s arrival in Moscow) a copy of a telegram telegramen clair from C[omrade] Molotov to Halifax announcing the decision of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet to receive Cripps in the capacity of ambassador prior to his presentation of credentials, on condition that the said credentials be presented with all due haste. There had obviously been some kind of hitch. So I phoned Butler the next day to ask what had happened.

It turned out that the credentials had not yet been sent to Cripps. I asked in great astonishment: ‘Why not?’

To which Butler replied: ‘The Foreign Office experts object to sending credentials by telegraph.’

‘So what are you intending to do?’ I asked, with still greater amazement.

‘We are sending the credentials with Gifford, who has just been appointed the new commercial secretary in Moscow,’ was Butler’s reply.

‘But how and when will Gifford get to Moscow?’ I parried. ‘You know how difficult it is to get to Moscow now. If Gifford travels via Vladivostok, say, Cripps will be waiting six weeks for his credentials. A fine position for him to be in!’

Butler admitted that the situation really had become a very tricky one, and added rather hesitantly: ‘Well, perhaps we’ll send the credentials by telegraph after all.’

I thought the matter had been settled. Alas, I was mistaken. Two days later I phoned Butler on another matter and enquired in passing whether the credentials had finally been sent to Cripps.

Butler answered in some embarrassment: ‘No, not as yet.’

‘But why not?’ I yelled down the phone in indignation.

‘Our experts,’ Butler explained, ‘are dead against sending credentials by telegraph… There has been no precedent… Moreover, they find it impossible to telegraph the king’s signature.’

I became absolutely furious, and told Butler rather sharply that the situation was becoming quite ridiculous and that the question of credentials had to be settled immediately.

‘But what would you advise?’ Butler asked helplessly.

‘What would I advise?’ I retorted. ‘Why not do one very simple thing? Why not invite me to the Foreign Office and show me the credentials? I could testify to my government by telegram that the credentials are in order and you could telegraph a copy to Cripps. Then everything would be settled.’

‘A brilliant idea!’ Butler exclaimed joyfully. ‘We’ll do as you say.’

That was 18 June. Another two days passed, however, before my suggestion was finally implemented. I was invited to see Butler on the morning of 20 June. He showed me Cripps’s authentic credentials, signed by the king, and even gave me a copy (together with a copy of Seeds’ letter of recall).

‘You know,’ Butler complained, ‘it was no easy task for me to bully our experts into making a copy of the credentials for you… There has been no precedent!… There are people in the protocol department who haven’t changed desks for 40 years. They are steeped in traditions and precedents. It’s tough with them.’

‘You know,’ I replied with some irritation, ‘if precedents are revered like this in all your ministries, you will definitely lose the war.’

Butler gave a sour laugh.

That same day I informed NKID that Cripps’s credentials had been shown to me, and the FO sent the contents of these credentials to Cripps by telegraph. Just the other day the presentation of credentials to C[omrade] Kalinin was carried out. The Soviet government declared itself ‘satisfied’ with the telegraph copy. When Gifford reaches Moscow, the telegraph copy will be replaced with the original. Now everything is in order.

FO sabotage is quite something!