- 22 -

(Transi.: We learn from StPetersburgh that M.Sazonofhas advised Servia to ask for English mediation. At theCouncil of Ministers held on the 25 th of July in the pre-sence of the Czar, the mobilisation of 13 army corpswas considered, ready, if necessary, to operate againstAustria ; this mobilisation, however, would not be effec-tive unless Austria constrained Servia by force of arms,and only at the advice of the Minister for Foreign Affairsupon whom rests the duty of fixing the date. He hasbeen given full liberty to continue the negotiations even inthe event of Belgrade being taken.)How doubtful this moderation of Russia has been appears froma statement which M. Sazonof made to the British Ambassador

already on the 24 th of July (Blue Book No. 6): - "..... that

"Russian mobilisation would at any rate have to be carried out".It follows that the Russian mobilisation was being carried out asearly as the 24 th of July, the day on which the Austro-Hungarian note to Servia became public. On the other hand, the French Circular note of the 26 th of July (Yellow Book No. 50) representsthe Russian Council of Ministers of July 25 th as taking a partialmobilisation against Austria "into consideration", and that mobili-sation was to become effective only, if Austria began warlikeoperations against Servia and after the Minister for ForeignAffairs had been consulted. It is not without importance to statethat up to this period the Russian and French Governmentswere still endeavouring to appear most moderate.

Obviously because the Russian Government was atthat time not yet certain of the English , nor even of theFrench , co-operation. At the interview which M. Sazonof hadarranged at the residence of the French Ambassador on the24 th of July with this gentleman and Sir George Buchanan (BlueBook No. 6), M. Sazonof urged that England should proclaim hersolidarity with Russia and France, whereupon Buchanan verycautiously replied: -

"I could not, of course, speak in the name of His"Majesty's Government, but personally I saw no reason"to expect any declaration of solidarity from His Majesty's.