ifficult for his Government not to support Serbia, we
have been asking ourselves what intervention could avert the
conflict.

"Sir Edward Grey having summoned me for this afternoon, I propose
to suggest that he should ask for the semiofficial intervention
of the German Government at Vienna to prevent a sudden attack."

M. Bienvenu-Martin informed the French Ambassadors at St.
Petersburg, Berlin, Vienna and Rome, and the Ministers at Stockholm
and Belgrade of M. Cambon's report, and his (Bienvenu-Martin's)
willingness to cooperate in the proposed conciliatory action at
Vienna.

_Belgium._ M. Davignon, Belgian Minister for Foreign Affairs,
notified the Belgian Ministers at Paris, London, Berlin, Vienna, and
St. Petersburg

"that the Government had under consideration an address to the
powers who guarantee Belgian independence and neutrality assuring
them of Belgium's determination to fulfill the international
obligations imposed upon her by treaty in the event of a war
breaking out on her frontiers.

"The Government have come to the conclusion that such a
communication would be premature at present, but that events
might move rapidly and not leave sufficient time to forward
suitable instructions at the desired moment to the Belgian
representatives abroad.

"In these circumstances I have proposed to the King [Albert] and
to my colleagues in the Cabinet, who have concurred, to give you
now exact instructions as to the steps to be taken by you if the
prospect of a Franco-German war became more threatening.

"I inclose herewith a note, signed but not dated, which you
should read to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and of which you
should give him a copy, if circumstances render such a
communication necessary.

"I shall inform you by telegram when you are to act on these
instructions.

"This telegram will be dispatched when the order is given for the
mobilization of the Belgian army if, contrary to our earnest hope
and to the apparent prospect of a peaceful settlement, our
information leads us to take this extreme measure of precaution."

The note inclosed said that Belgium had "most scrupulously" observed
the obligations of neutrality imposed on her by the treaties of
April 19, 1839, and would "strive unflinchingly" to fulfill them
whatever the new circumstances might b