measure.[15]

[Footnote 15: German _White Paper_, Annex, 1 B.]

This had only one meaning. Austria was to be left to discipline
Servia at will, or there would be war. Germany did not even wait
for any suggestion of intervention, whether conciliatory or otherwise,
but sought to interpose to any plan of peace, short of complete
submission, an insuperable barrier by this threat of war. With this
pointed threat to Europe, the next move was that of Russia, and it may
be remarked that throughout the entire negotiations Russian diplomacy
was more than equal to that of Germany.

Russia contented itself in the first instance by stating on the
morning of July 24th, that Russia could not remain indifferent to the
Austro-Servian conflict. This attitude could not surprise any one, for
Russia's interest in the Balkans was well known and its legitimate
concern in the future of any Slav state was, as Sir Edward Grey had
said in Parliament in March, 1913, "a commonplace in European
diplomacy in the past."

With this simple statement of its legitimate interest in a matter
affecting the balance of power in Europe, Russia, instead of issuing
an ultimatum or declaring war, as Germany and Austria may have hoped,
joined with England in asking for a reasonable extension of time for
all the Powers to concert for the preservation of peace. On July 24th,
the very day that the Austrian ultimatum had reached St. Petersburg,
the Russian Foreign Minister transmitted to the Austrian Government
through its Charge in Vienna the following communication:

The communication of the Austro-Hungarian Government to the
Powers the day after the presentation of the ultimatum to
Belgrade _leaves to the Powers a delay entirely insufficient
to undertake any useful steps whatever for the straightening
out of the complications that have arisen_. To prevent the
incalculable consequences, equally disastrous for all the
Powers, which can follow the method of action of the
Austro-Hungarian Government, it seems indispensable to us
that above all the delay given to Servia to reply should be
extended. _Austria-Hungary, declaring herself disposed to
inform the Powers of the results of the inquiry upon which
the Imperial and Royal Government bases its accusations,
should at least give them also the time to take note of them
(de s'en rendre compte)._ In this case, if the Powers should
convince