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M. Sazonof notifies the Russian representatives abroad of Germany 'sdemand for a suspension of Russia 's military measures, the readerof the Orange Book would not know anything about it.

What is there to be said as to the reasons for Russia 's generalmobilisation which may be drawn from English and French officialreports and from the Czar's telegram to the German Emperor?

1. Russia 's general mobilisation as a retort toAustria 's military measures.

To guard herself against Austria 's alleged military preparations,Russia had mobilised 13 army corps as early as on the 29 th of July(Report of French Ambassador at St. Petersburgh of July 29 thYellow Book No. 100). Mobilisation in the districts of Odessa,Kieff, Moscow, and Kazan had been notified to the German Government by the Russian Ambassador at Berlin , with the ex-planation that these measures were intended as a reply to Austria 'sdeclaration of war against Servia which had taken place on theprevious day, and as a reply also to «mesures de mobilisation déjà"appliquées à la plus grande partie de l'armée austro-hongroise"(Yellow Book No. 95). In reality, Austria had, up to the timeof Russia 's general mobilisation, mobilised only 8 army corps.Contrary to the statement contained in the report of the French Ambassador at St. Petersburgh of the 31 st of July (Yellow Book No. 118)general mobilisation had not been ordered in Austria -Hungary.*)This order was in fact only issued in reply to the general mobili-sation of Russia in the course of July 31 st (Blue Book No. 127).Russia 's mobilisation (on the 29 th of July) of no less than 13army corps was, viewed as a reply to the mobilisation of but

*) This allegation of a general Austrian mobilisation - a statementwhich has never been sustained by Russia - that is stated to haveprompted Russia 's general mobilisation, is repeated in several places ofthe French Yellow Book, so f. i. in a telegram of M. Viviani toM. Paul Cambon of 1st 0 f August (No. 127):

«..... l'Autriche a, la première, procédé à une mobilisation

"générale."

(Transi.: Austria has proceeded to general mobilisation,being first to take such action.)