fighting for the fruits of our works of peace, for the
inheritance of a great past and for our future. The fifty years
are not yet past during which Count Moltke said we should have to
remain armed to defend the inheritance that we won in 1870. Now
the great hour of trial has struck for our people. But with clear
confidence we go forward to meet it. Our army is in the field,
our navy is ready for battle--behind them stands the entire
German nation--the entire German nation united to the last man.

"Gentlemen, you know your duty and all that it means. The
proposed laws need no further explanation. I ask you to pass them
quickly."

Secretary of State von Jagow telegraphed Ambassador Lichnowsky at
London:

"Please dispel any mistrust that may subsist on the part of the
British Government with regard to our intentions, by repeating
most positively formal assurance that, even in the case of armed
conflict with Belgium, Germany will, under no pretence whatever,
annex Belgian territory. Sincerity of this declaration is borne
out by the fact that we solemnly pledged our word to Holland
strictly to respect her neutrality. It is obvious that we could
not profitably annex Belgian territory without making at the same
time territorial acquisitions at expense of Holland. Please
impress upon Sir E. Grey that the German army could not be
exposed to French attack across Belgium, which was planned
according to absolutely unimpeachable information. Germany had
consequently to disregard Belgian neutrality, it being for her a
question of life or death to prevent French advance."

_Great Britain._ Sir Edward Grey, Secretary for Foreign Affairs,
telegraphed Ambassador Goschen at Berlin to protest to the German
Government against its violation of the treaty safeguarding Belgian
neutrality, and to request an immediate assurance that the demand
made upon Belgium would not be proceeded with.

Ambassador Villiers telegraphed from Brussels that the German
Minister, Von Below Saleske, had addressed a note to M. Davignon,
Minister for Foreign Affairs,

"stating that as Belgian Government have declined the
well-intentioned proposals submitted to them by the Imperial
Government, the latter will, deeply to their regret, be compelled
to carry out, if necessary by force of arms, the measures
considere