timatum giving Serbia a period of only forty-eight hours in
which to agree to the Austrian demands.

SERBIA'S REPLY.--Serbia's answer to the Austrian ultimatum was
delivered within a few minutes of the time set. She agreed, practically,
to all the Austrian demands except those which required that Austrian
officials should conduct investigations and suppress conspiracies in
Serbia, and she even went part way toward accepting those. Serbia went
on to suggest that if Austria was not entirely satisfied with the reply,
the points still in dispute should be referred to the international
tribunal at The Hague. This reply the Austrian government considered
unsatisfactory. Forty-five minutes after the Serbian note had been
placed in the hands of the Austrian minister to Serbia that official
handed a notice to the Serbian government stating "that not having
received a satisfactory answer within the time limit set, he was leaving
Belgrade" (the Serbian capital). Austria-Hungary made immediate
preparations for the invasion of Serbia and on July 28 declared war.

EFFORTS FOR PEACE.--Meanwhile Great Britain, France, and Italy were
putting forth every effort to preserve the peace of Europe. In these
efforts the lead was taken by Sir Edward Grey, the British foreign
minister. As early as July 26 he urged a conference at London of the
representatives of France, Germany, Italy, and Great Britain to find
some solution of the problem which might be satisfactory to both Austria
and Russia. Italy and France agreed at once, but Germany raised
objections. Germany's only suggestion for preserving the general peace
of Europe was that Austria should be permitted to deal with Serbia as
she pleased, without interference from any other power. And so it
continued through those critical days. Every effort made by England
looking toward a peaceful settlement of the quarrel was baffled by
Germany's refusal to cooeperate. This is not difficult to understand in
the light of our later knowledge of the plans and aims of the German
government.

THE DECLARATIONS OF WAR.--Austria's declaration of war on Serbia (July
28) was followed by the general mobilization of Austria's troops.
Austria maintained that all her armies were for the war on Serbia, but
her preparations were so extensive that it was clear she was getting
ready to fight Russia also. In reply Russia began to mobilize her
troops, partly to prevent the destruction of Serbia, but also to defend
her