During the July Crisis Wilson was mainly preoccupied with the apparent imminence of civil war in Ireland and vainly lobbied the new CIGS Charles Douglas to flood not just Ulster but the whole of Ireland with troops (29 June). By the end of July it was clear that the continent was on the brink of hostilities, with Wilson being lobbied by Milner and the diplomat Eyre Crowe about Edward Grey's reluctance to go to war. Wilson (1 August) called on de la Panouse (French Military Attaché) and Paul Cambon (French Ambassador) to discuss the military situation. Wilson may well have been keeping the Conservative leadership informed of discussions between Cambon and Foreign Secretary Grey. The German invasion of Belgium provided a "casus belli" and Britain mobilized on 3 August and declared war on 4 August.