would stand by her ally, Austria-Hungary. In
times of peace there may have been doubt throughout Europe as to the
strength of the bonds of the Triple Entente, but the German
Government was not disposed to rely on these doubts when the
critical moment came. The British Ambassador at Berlin was asked to
visit the German Chancellor and as a result of this visit the former
sent the following telegram to the British Foreign Office:

"Berlin, July 29, 1914. I was asked to call upon the chancellor
to-night. His excellency had just returned from Potsdam.

"He said that should Austria be attacked by Russia a European
conflagration might, he feared, become inevitable, owing to
Germany's obligations as Austria's ally, in spite of his continued
efforts to maintain peace. He then proceeded to make the following
strong bid for British neutrality. He said that it was clear, so far
as he was able to judge the main principle which governed British
policy, that Great Britain would never stand by and allow France to
be crushed in any conflict there might be. That, however, was not
the object at which Germany aimed. Provided that neutrality of Great
Britain were certain, every assurance would be given to the British
Government that the Imperial Government aimed at no territorial
acquisitions at the expense of France should they prove victorious
in any war that might ensue.

"I questioned his excellency about the French colonies, and he said
that he was unable to give a similar undertaking in that respect. As
regards Holland, however, his excellency said that, so long as
Germany's adversaries respected the integrity and neutrality of the
Netherlands, Germany was ready to give his Majesty's Government an
assurance that she would do likewise. It depended upon the action of
France what operations Germany might be forced to enter upon in
Belgium, but when the war was over Belgian integrity would be
respected if she had not sided against Germany.

"His excellency ended by saying that ever since he had been
chancellor the object of his policy had been, as you were aware, to
bring about an understanding with England; he trusted that these
assurances might form the basis of that understanding which he so
much desired. He had in mind a general neutrality agreement between
England and Germany, though it was of course at the present moment
too early to discuss details, and an assurance of British neutrality
in the conflict which the present crisi