In a report by Pourtalès of a conversation with Sasonow (on July 21) it is stated :
"In the course of the conversation the Minister repeatedly pointed out that, according to the information at his disposal, the situation was considered serious in Paris and in London also. He was obviously endeavouring to give me the im- pression that in England also the attitude of Austria-Hungary was very much disapproved."
With great determination, William remarked on this: "He is wrong." If he had read Lichnowsky's reports with greater attention and fewer preconceived ideas, he would have been more cautious.
But it is correct that the English Government, on the outbreak of the conflict between Austria and Serbia, at first endeavoured to take up a neutral attitude in order to negotiate between Austria and Russia.
The English King spoke to the same effect at this time to William's brother, Prince Henry.
The latter wrote on July 28th from Kiel :
"My Dear William,
"Before my departure from London, to be exact on Sunday morning (July 26th), I had, at my own request, a short conversation with Georgie, who was perfectly clear regarding the seriousness of the present situation, and assured me that he and his Government would leave no plan untried to localize the struggle between Austria and Serbia. His Government had therefore made the proposal that Germany, England, France and Italy—as you, of course, already know—should intervene in the
