This
assassination was an act of enmity toward Austria and a step toward the
enlargement of Servia. Deeming her existence threatened and her national
dignity offended, Austria sent a rather sharp demand under date of July
23, 1914, to Servia, requiring prompt and thorough satisfaction for the
gross attack made upon her and her reigning family through Servia's
official directions.
Strange to say, however, the British "White Book" shows that three days
before, on July 20, 1914, Sir Edward Grey, (Paper 1, British "White
Book,") wrote to Sir E. Goschen, British Ambassador at Berlin, a letter
in which he states:
In fact, the more Austria could keep her demand within
reasonable limits, and the stronger the justification she
could produce for making any demand, the more chance there
would be of smoothing things over. _I hated the idea of a war
between any of the great powers_, and that any of them should
be dragged into a war by Servia would be detestable.
On July 24, 1914, the Austrian message to Servia became known to all
countries, and on the same day Sir George Buchanan, British Ambassador
at St.
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