Europe

‘Scenes of panic reported to be taking place in Belgrade’

Countdown to War: conflict looked increasingly likely as Austria received an ‘unsatisfactory’ response from Serbia to its ultimatum demanding concessions from Belgrade in the light of the Sarajevo murders of June 28th

British foreign secretary Sir Edward Grey: proposals for mediation “are meeting with a favourable reception”. Photograph Topical Press Agency/Getty Images

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Chris Dooley
Mon Jul 28 2014 - 01:00

WAR OR PEACE

MEDIATORS AT WORK

SIR EDWARD GREY’S PROPOSALS

MONETARY PANIC IN BERLIN

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AUSTRIAN AND THE SERVIAN REPLY

FIRST ACT OF HOSTILITY

A Vienna telegram states that Servian troops on a Danube steamer have fired on Austrian soldiers, who returned the fire. So far, however, no announcement has been made of war, and the incident is not regarded as of great importance.

An Austrian semi-official statement declares that the Servian reply is evasive, and that Servia has sought to mislead the other Powers.

[British foreign secretary] Sir Edward Grey’s proposals for mediation by the other Powers are meeting with a favourable reception, and the outlook on the whole is considered brighter.

In Berlin there is a monetary panic, accompanied by “runs” upon the savings-banks.

SERB-AUSTRIAN ENCOUNTER

(Reuter’s Telegram, Monday, 12.30pm)

Servian troops on a Danube steamer near Temeskubin have fired on Austro-Hungarian troops, who returned the fire. An engagement of some importance ensued. So far no official announcement of warlike conditions or of an outbreak of war has been notified to the Powers. The Dual [Austro Hungarian] Monarchy, being a signatory to the Hague Convention, would be obliged formally to declare war, but as Servia did not sign the Convention such a declaration might, perhaps, be regarded as unnecessary in this instance.

AUSTRIA AND SERVIA’S REPLY

SEMI-OFFICIAL VIEW

(Reuter’s Telegram, Vienna, Monday)

The following communique (itals), embodying the Austro-Hungarian semi-official view of the attitude adopted by Servia is published here: “Baron Giesl, Austro-Hungarian Minister in Belgrade, presented the Servian Note in reply to our claim to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on his arrival in Vienna yesterday. The object of this Note is to create the false impression that the Servian Government is prepared in great measure to comply with our demands.

“As a matter of fact, however, the Note is filled with the spirit of dishonesty, which clearly lets it be seen that the Servian Government is not seriously determined to put an end to the culpable tolerance it has hitherto extended to intrigues against the Monarchy. The Servian Note contains such far reaching reservations and limitations, not only in regard to the general principles of our demarche (itals), but also in regard to the individual claims which we have put forward, that the concessions actually made become insignificant.

“In particular, our demand for the participation of Austro-Hungarian authorities in investigations to detect the accomplices in the conspiracy on Servian territory has been rejected. Our request that measures should be taken against that section of the Press which is hostile to Austria-Hungary has been declined, and our wish that the Servian Government should take the necessary measures to prevent the dissolved Austrophobe associations from continuing their activity under another name and in another form, has not even been considered at all.

“Since the claims contained in the Austrian Note of July 23rd, regard being had to the attitude hitherto adopted by Servia, represent the minimum which is necessary for the establishment of permanent peace in the South-Eastern Monarchy, the Servian answer must be regarded as unsatisfactory.

“That the Servian Government itself was conscious its Note was not acceptable to us is proved by the circumstance that it proposes to us at the end of the Note to submit the dispute to arbitration, and invitation which is thrown into its proper light by the circumstance that three hours before the handing in of the Note, a few minutes before the expiry of the period, the mobilisation of the Servian Army took place.”

REPORTED PANIC AT BELGRADE

(Reuter’s Telegram, Vienna, Sunday)

Telegrams from Semlin [in Belgrade] give a lurid description of the scenes of panic reported to be taking place in Belgrade. While part of the population are migrating in carts, piled high with their belongings, disorderly elements from the suburbs are endeavouring to sack shops and dwellings , and on one occasion the Servian troops fired a volley on the people. Large masses of troops have concentrated at Senendria. King Peter and the Crown Prince telegraphed to Montenegro for support. The Montenegrin Council resolved upon a general mobilisation of the Montenegrin Army.

The Irish Times,

July 28th, 1914