ll the risks of war."

These two dispatches to Sir Edward Grey tell the whole story in a
nutshell. Austria believed, rightly or wrongly, that it was a question
of life or death for her, while Russia claimed the right of preventing
Austria from becoming the predominate power in the Balkans, and actually
threatened war. Russia did not claim to be concerned with the justice of
Austria's demands on Servia.

No such definite word of Russia's intention was sent to Germany, for on
July 26 Sir M. de Bunsen reported Germany's confident belief that
"Russia will keep quiet during the chastisement of Servia." (No. 32.)

On the next day Sir Rennell Rodd reports from Rome (No. 57) that the
Minister of Foreign Affairs believes that "if Servia will even now
accept it (the Austrian note) Austria will be satisfied" and refrain
from a punitive war. He, moreover, believes--and this is very
important--that Servia may be induced to accept the note in its entirety
on the advice of the four powers invited to the conference, and this
would enable her to say that she had yielded to Europe and not to
Austria-Hungary alone. Since Italy was to be one of the four powers, the
Minister's belief was doubtless based on accurate information. There is
then as late as July 27 no claim made by Servia that Austria's demands
are unreasonable. She only hates to yield to Austria alone. Austria, in
the meanwhile, (No. 57,) repeats her assurance that she demands no
territorial sacrifices from Servia.

On the next day, July 28, Sir Rennell Rodd reports (No. 64) that "Servia
might still accept the whole Austrian note, if some explanation were
given regarding mode in which Austrian agents would require to
intervene." Austria, on her part, had explained that "the co-operation
of the Austrian agents in Servia was to be only in investigation, not in
judicial or administrative measures. Servia was said to have willfully
misinterpreted this." (No. 64.)

From these reports it appears that the differences between Austria and
Servia were on the way to a solution. Austria claimed that her demands
were just, and Servia did not deny this. Austria further claimed that
her prestige, her very existence, demanded the prompt compliance with
her requests by Servia. She explained in a satisfactory way the one
point on which Servia had taken exceptions, and Servia was on the point
of complying, and would have complied, if the powers had been willing to
let her do so. Such a concl