nication of this morning is canceled by my communication
of this evening. As there is no positive English proposal before
us, any further step in the sense of the message I sent is
superfluous."

At 7.10 p. m. Ambassador Pourtales presented at St. Petersburg a
note repeating the ultimatum of July 31, and closing:

"Russia having refused to comply with [not having considered it
necessary to answer*] this demand, and having shown by this
refusal [this attitude*] that her action was directed against
Germany, I have the honor, on the instructions of my Government,
to inform your excellency as follows:

"His majesty the emperor, my august sovereign, in the name of the
German Empire, accepts the challenge, and considers himself at
war with Russia.

"* The words in brackets occur in the original. It must be
supposed that two variations had been prepared in advance, and
that, by mistake, they were both inserted in the Note."

_Russia._ A secret telegram was sent to Russian representatives
abroad announcing Germany's ultimatum delivered at midnight, and
stating the German Ambassador's reply to the inquiry if it meant
war: "No, but we are very near it."

Ambassador Benckendorff telegraphed from London that Sir Edward
Grey, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, hoped that no great power would
open hostilities before the formula for a peaceful settlement of the
disputes, accepted by Russia and offered to Germany, had been
considered. Later he telegraphed that France had agreed to respect
the neutrality of Belgium, but that Germany had stated she could
give no definite answer to the question.

Ambassador Isvolsky telegraphed from Paris:

"The Austrian Ambassador [Count Szecsen] yesterday visited
Viviani [Minister for Foreign Affairs] and declared to him that
Austria, far from harboring any designs against the integrity of
Serbia, was in fact ready to discuss the grounds of her
grievances against Serbia with the other powers. The French
Government are much exercised at Germany's extraordinary
military activity on the French frontier, for they are convinced
that, under the guise of _Kriegszustand_, mobilization is in
reality being carried out."

Later he telegraphed that, hearing from St. Petersburg of the German
order of general mobilization, President Poincare had signed the
order for French mobilization.

"