e is infinitely more important than the pretext from which
it springs. By her decision to declare war upon us, at a moment
when negotiations were in progress between the powers, Germany
has assumed a heavy responsibility."

_Great Britain._ Ambassador Goschen sent from Berlin two telegrams
to Sir Edward Grey, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, one stating that
Secretary of State von Jagow had just informed him that, owing to
certain Russian troops having crossed the frontier, Germany and
Russia were in a state of war, and the other that the reason for the
detention of British ships on the day preceding was laying of mines
and taking other precautions.

Ambassador Villiers telegraphed from Brussels that a German force
had entered Luxemburg. This was confirmed by a telegram from the
Minister of State for Luxemburg, who gave details, and added:

"These occurrences constitute acts which are manifestly contrary
to the neutrality of the Grand Duchy as guaranteed by the Treaty
of London of 1867. The Luxemburg Government have not failed to
address an energetic protest against this aggression to the
representatives of his majesty the German Emperor at Luxemburg.
An identical protest will be sent by telegraph to the Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs at Berlin. [Paris was also
informed.]"

Grey telegraphed Ambassador Bertie at Paris:

"After the Cabinet this morning I gave M. Cambon [French
Ambassador in London] the following memorandum:

"I am authorized to give an assurance that, if the German fleet
comes into the Channel or through the North Sea to undertake
hostile operations against French coasts or shipping, the British
fleet will give all the protection in its power.

"This assurance is of course subject to the policy of his
majesty's Government receiving the support of Parliament, and
must not be taken as binding his majesty's Government to take any
action until the above contingency of action by the German fleet
takes place.

"I pointed out that we had very large questions and most
difficult issues to consider, and that our Government felt that
they could not bind themselves to declare war upon Germany
necessarily if war broke out between France and Germany
to-morrow, but it was essential to the French Government, whose
fleet had long been concentrated in the Mediterranean,