v Russia."

M. Sazonof telegraphed Ambassador Isvolsky at Paris that Germany had
decided to mobilize if Russia did not cease her military
preparations.

"As we cannot comply with the wishes of Germany, we have no
alternative but to hasten on our own military preparations and to
assume that war is probably inevitable. Please inform the French
Government of this, and add that we are sincerely grateful to
them for the declaration which the French Ambassador made to me
on their behalf, that we could count fully upon the assistance of
our ally, France. In the existing circumstances that declaration
is especially valuable to us.

"[Communicated to the Russian Ambassadors in Great Britain,
Austria-Hungary, Italy, and Germany.]"

_Great Britain._ Count Benckendorff, Russian Ambassador at London,
reported to Sir Edward Grey, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, that
Russia would mobilize at Odessa, Kiev, Moscow, and Kazan. This
information had been officially sent by Russia to Berlin on the 28th
inst., with assurances that there was no aggressive intention
against Germany. The Russian Ambassador, M. Schebeko, was still
retained at Vienna. Direct communication between Austria and Russia
was, however, at an end, owing to Austria's declaration of war on
Serbia. Mediation by London Cabinet to end Austria's military
operations was therefore most urgent. If these continued Austria
would crush Serbia while the conference was continuing.

Sir Edward Goschen, Ambassador at Berlin, telegraphed to Grey a
report of his interview with Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg.

He informed me that Austria-Hungary refused to act on your
suggestion to make the Serbian reply the basis of discussion. Von
Jagow had written to Vienna that, though Serbia had shown a certain
desire to meet the demands made on her, nevertheless he appreciated
Austria's requirement of guaranties which were absent in the Serbian
reply:

"The Chancellor then went on to say that the hostilities which
were about to be undertaken against Serbia had presumably the
exclusive object of securing such guaranties, seeing that the
Austrian Government already assured the Russian Government that
they had no territorial designs.

"He advised the Austro-Hungarian Government, should this view be
correct, to speak openly in this sense. The holding of such
language would, he hoped, eliminate all possibl