It demanded a reply from Servia, giving Saturday,
July 25, at 6 in the evening, as the time limit.
Austria Amazes Allies.
The reparations demanded, or, at least, some among them, unquestionably
were derogatory to the rights of a sovereign nation. But in spite of
their extreme character Servia, on July 25, declared that she submitted
to them almost without a reservation of any sort.
The advice transmitted by France, Russia, and Great Britain from the
very first to Belgrade was not without its effect in bringing about this
submission, which was a success for Austria-Hungary and likewise a
guarantee toward the maintenance of European peace.
This advice was all the more valuable in view of the fact that
Austria-Hungary's demands had been inadequately foreshadowed to the
Governments of the Triple Entente, to whom, during the three preceding
weeks, the Austro-Hungarian Government had repeatedly given assurances
that its demands would be extremely moderate.
It was, therefore, with justified astonishment that the Cabinets of
Paris, St. Petersburg, and London heard, on July 26, that the Austrian
Minister at Belgrade, after an examination lasting only a few minutes,
had declared the Servian reply unacceptable and broken off diplomatic
relations.
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