Jules
Cambon:

"Cambon endeavored to induce Von Jagow to accept the British
proposal for action in favor of peace to be taken simultaneously
at St. Petersburg and at Vienna by Great Britain, Germany, Italy,
and France. Cambon suggested that these powers should give their
advice to Vienna in the following terms: 'To abstain from all
action which might aggravate the existing situation.' By adopting
this vague formula, all mention of the necessity of refraining
from invading Serbia might be avoided. Jagow refused point blank
to accept this suggestion in spite of the entreaties of the
ambassador, who emphasized, as a good feature of the suggestion,
the mixed grouping of the powers, thanks to which the opposition
between the Alliance and the Entente--a matter of which Jagow
himself had often complained--was avoided."

Nicholas II telegraphed his reply to the appeal for Russian aid made
by Prince Alexander of Serbia on July 25, 1914. It assured the
prince of the Czar's cordial sympathy with the Serbian people.

"The existing situation is engaging my most serious attention,
and my government are using their utmost endeavor to smooth away
the present difficulties. I have no doubt that your highness and
the Royal Serbian Government wish to render that task easy by
neglecting no step which might lead to a settlement, and thus
both prevent the horrors of a new war and safeguard the dignity
of Serbia.

"So long as the slightest hope exists of avoiding bloodshed, all
our efforts must be directed to that end; but if in spite of our
earnest wish we are not successful, your highness may rest
assured that Russia will in no case disinterest herself in the
fate of Serbia."

M. Schebeko, Russian Ambassador at Vienna, telegraphed to M. Sazonof
of a conversation he had had in the absence of Count Berchtold,
Minister for Foreign Affairs, with Baron Macchio, the Under-Secretary.

"I drew his attention to the unfavorable impression produced in
Russia by the presentation of demands by Austria to Serbia, which
it was quite impossible for any independent state, however small,
to accept. I added that this method of procedure might lead to
the most undesirable complications, and that it had aroused
profound surprise and general condemnation in Russia. We can only
suppose that Austria,