I would use the word “concerned” not “scared”.
I know he thought the Kaiser was a sort of a spoiled adult brat. No one thought anything he (the Kaiser) did or said would lead to war. Unfortunately, there wasn’t sufficient adult supervision on either side of the channel particularly in Serbia & Austro-Hungary.
And I see WWI as Britain’s attempt to slap down those wily Krauts. Britain couldn’t stand any naval competition from Germany.