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the immediate consequence is the telegram by which M. Sazonofinstructs M. Iswolsky to express to the French Govern-ment the sincere gratitude of the Russian Governmentfor the declaration of unconditional armed support(Orange Book No. 58).

The dice had therewith been cast in favour of war. On the 25 thof July M. Sazonof had already declared to the English Ambassador:"If Russia feels secure of the support of France, she will face all"the risks of war" (Blue Book No. 17). Now the moment hadarrived: Relying on the conviction that the participationof France in the war would call England into the arena,France had promised Russia to support her by force ofarms, probably adding that England 's co-operation could also berelied upon.*)

To his communication to Paul Cambon concerning the statementwhich he was going to make to Prince Lichnowsky, Sir Edward Grey has joined a few remarks which at first sight would seem to beanalogous to the reservation which he had made when henotified the Russian Ambassador of the maintenance of themobile state of the Fleet. In fact he pointed out to M. Cambonthat public opinion in England regarded the present difficultyfrom quite a different point of view than the Morocco crisisa few years ago. In the case of Morocco it appeared that Ger-many, in an attempt to crush France , was picking up a quarrelon a question that was the subject of a special agreementbetween England and France . In the present case the issuewas primarily one between Austria-Hungary and Servia, and even

*) A report of Baron de l'Escaille, the Belgian Chargé d'Affaires atSt. Petersburgh, of the 30 th of July, which was seized in Germany after the outbreak of hostilities, contains full confirmation of thisconnection of things. It is said there: "England at first let it be"understood that she had no wish to be dragged into a conflict. Sir "George Buchanan said so quite openly. To-day, i. e. on July 30th ; St."Petersburgh is fully persuaded, nay, it has even received assurances to"that effect, that England is going to side with France . This assistance is"of decisive importance and has very materially contributed to the triumph"of the war party."

3*