spended pending results of the
conference."

But this move had come too late. The British Ambassador to Berlin
reported by telegraph to his Government on July 27, 1914, that the
Imperial German Government considered that the proposed conference
amounted practically to a court of arbitration and could not be
called except at the behest of Austria-Hungary and Russia. The
German Government therefore turned down the British proposal. But
Germany was not for provoking a war; the German Ambassador at London
informed the British Foreign Office that his Government was willing
to accept in principle the mediation of the powers between Austria
and Russia.

The question of whether the alliances between the various nations
would hold under a strain now became pointed. The Russian Government
informed the British Government on July 27, 1914, that the
impression prevailed in Berlin and Vienna that England would stand
aloof under any circumstances, differences between Russia and
Austria notwithstanding. But on the same day Sir Edward Grey,
British Minister for Foreign Affairs, dispelled these impressions in
a telegram to the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg. "The
impression ought to be dispelled by the orders we have given to the
First Fleet," it read in part, "which is concentrated, as it
happens, at Portland, not to disperse for maneuver leave." On July
28, 1914, the British Government was informed that France and Russia
were agreeable to having a conference called in London; the Italian
Government had already reported that it agreed to this plan, but the
refusal of Germany, mentioned above, rendered these communications
useless.

On July 28, 1914, the British Government was informed by telegram
from its Ambassador at Vienna that "Austria-Hungary cannot delay
warlike proceedings against Serbia, and would have to decline any
suggestions of negotiations on basis of Serbian reply.

"Prestige of Dual Monarchy was engaged, and nothing could now
prevent conflict." This telegram, be it noted, made use of the term
"military proceedings" instead of "military preparations" and
therefore had the effect of changing Austria-Hungary's note to
Serbia into an ultimatum. Russia, on July 28, 1914, began to
mobilize troops near Odessa, Moscow, Kieff and Kazan, and on the
following day this fact was communicated officially to the
Government at Berlin.

As Austria-Hungary and Russia were about to come to grips Germany
made it plain that she