ritory in region of frontier, to promise
not to advance further, while powers endeavored to arrange that
Serbia should give satisfaction sufficient to pacify Austria.
Territory occupied would of course be evacuated when Austria was
satisfied. I suggested this yesterday as a possible relief to the
situation, and, if it can be obtained, I would earnestly hope
that it might be agreed to suspend further military preparations
on all sides.

"Russian Ambassador [Count Benckendorff] has told me of condition
laid down by M. Sazonof [Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs],
as quoted in your telegram of July 30, and fears it cannot be
modified; but if Austrian advance were stopped after occupation
of Belgrade, I think Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs'
formula might be changed to read that the powers would examine
how Serbia could fully satisfy Austria without impairing Serbian
sovereign rights or independence.

"If Austria, having occupied Belgrade and neighboring Serbian
territory declares herself ready, in the interest of European
peace, to cease her advance and to discuss how a complete
settlement can be arrived at, I hope that Russia would also
consent to discussion and suspension of further military
preparations, provided that other powers did the same.

"It is a slender chance of preserving peace, but the only one I
can suggest if Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs can come to
no agreement at Berlin. You should inform Minister for Foreign
Affairs"

Grey wrote Ambassador Bertie at Paris enclosing a copy of a letter
he had written to Paul Cambon, French Ambassador at London, on
November 22, 1912, and of the agreement of which M. Cambon had just
reminded him. The letter was as follows:

"From time to time in recent years the French and British naval
and military experts have consulted together. It has always been
understood that such consultation does not restrict the freedom
of either Government to decide at any future time whether or not
to assist the other by armed force. We have agreed that
consultation between experts is not, and ought not to be regarded
as, an engagement that commits either Government to action in a
contingency that has not arisen and may never arise. The
disposition, for instance, of the French and British fleets
respec