ching.'"

Count Berchtold informed the Austro-Hungarian Ambassadors at Berlin,
Rome, London, Paris, and St. Petersburg of the annotations of his
Government to the Serbian reply.

_Germany._ The Austro-Hungarian Consulate at Kovno, Russia,
telegraphed to the German Chancellor, Dr. von Bethmann-Hollweg, that
Kovno had been declared to be in a state of war.

The German Minister at Berne, Switzerland, telegraphed to the
Chancellor that the French Fourteenth Corps had discontinued
maneuvers.

Count Pourtales, German Ambassador at St. Petersburg, telegraphed to
the Chancellor at Berlin:

"The Secretary of War [Suchomlinof] has given me his word of
honor that no order to mobilize has as yet been issued. Though
general preparations are being made, no reserves were called and
no horses mustered. If Austria crossed the Serbian frontier, such
military districts as are directed toward Austria, viz Kiev,
Odessa, Moscow, Kazan, are to be mobilized. Under no
circumstances those on the German frontier, Warsaw, Vilni, St.
Petersburg. Peace with Germany was desired very much. Upon my
inquiry into the object of mobilization against Austria he
shrugged his shoulders and referred to the diplomats. I told the
secretary that we appreciated the friendly intentions, but
considered mobilization even against Austria as very menacing."

The Chancellor telegraphed Prince Lichnowsky, German Ambassador at
London:

"We know as yet nothing of a suggestion of Sir Edward Grey's to
hold a quadruple conference in London. It is impossible for us to
place our ally in his dispute with Serbia before a European
tribunal. Our mediation must be limited to the danger of an
Austro-Russian conflict."

This was supplemented by a telegram:

"We have at once started the mediation proposal in Vienna in the
sense as desired by Sir Edward Grey. We have communicated besides
to Count Berchtold the desire of M. Sazonof for a direct parley
with Vienna."

_Russia._ Count Benckendorff, Russian Ambassador at London,
telegraphed to M. Sazonof, Minister for Foreign Affairs at St.
Petersburg, to know if his views on direct discussions with the
Vienna Cabinet harmonized with Grey's scheme for mediation by the
four powers, Great Britain, France, Italy, and Germany.

"Having heard from the British Ambassador at St. Petersburg that
you would be prepared to