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the afternoon of July 30 th , actually given up its former resistance todiscuss its note to Belgrade with Russia . On the authority of theFrench Yellow Book it further appears that the Russian Ambassadorat Vienna attached the highest importance to this conciliatorystatement made by Count Berchtold , which he communicated atonce to his French and English colleagues. We have it furtheron the same authority that from Count Berchtold 's conciliatoryspirit, the French Ambassador at Vienna drew the hope of localis-ing the conflict and that the British Ambassador, without firstasking for instructions, declared spontaneously the entire approvalof the Foreign Office of the agreements between Count Berchtold and the Russian Ambassador.

The Russian Orange Book contains, it must be stated, notrace of this decided pacific intention shown by Austria-Hungary ,and which was frustrated by Russia 's general mobilisation.

Russia 's general mobilisation came as a complete surprise toher two Entente partners who, as resorts from their own documents,had received the news of Austria 's conciliatory disposition with greatsatisfaction, as a hope for peace. At 7 o'clock in the evening ofthe 31 st of July the German Ambassador at Paris called onM. Viviani, French Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs,in order to inform him that Germany was in consequence ofRussia 's general mobilisation compelled to proclaim the so-called"state of danger of war" and to demand that Russia should demo-bilise. To this M. Viviani replied that he was absolutely uninformedas to a pretended total mobilisation of the Russian army and navy(" . . . nullement renseigné sur une prétendue mobilisation totale"de l'armée et de la flotte russes . . ." Yellow Book No. 117).Also, the British Ambassador at Paris reported late in the eveningof July 31 st to the Foreign Office that his colleague, M. Iswolsky,was not aware of any general mobilisation of the Russian forces.(Blue Book No. 117.)

If, therefore, the reasons advanced by Russia for her suddengeneral mobilisation have been nothing but bare pretexts, andif Russia is guilty of having, without even informing England andFrance , wantonly precipitated the course of affairs, when a most