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90 regulation of the South Slav question. I mean Trialism, with the inclusion of Serbia. From my knowledge of the conditions there, I do not even believe that they are in a position to proceed to a constitutional re-shaping of the Monarchy on such lines. For to do this it would be necessary to overcome the opposition of Hungary, which would resist to the uttermost the cession of Croatia and Fiume. And Vienna never produces the strong personality alone capable of carrying out such a programme. They only seek there to satisfy the needs of the moment, and are glad when the many political difficulties, which are never extinguished, as they arise from the heterogeneous nature of the component factors of the Empire, are so far pushed aside that there is a prospect of dragging on a few months longer.

"A military castigation of Serbia would hence be of no value towards a satisfactory solution of the so extremely difficult South Slav Question. The most it could do would be to revive the Eastern Question, which has been settled with so much difficulty, merely in order to afford a moral satisfaction to Austria.

"Whether Russia and Rumania will idly look on at this, and leave Austria a free hand, Your Excellency will be in a better position to judge than I am. From the impressions I have received here, but especially from the confidential conversations which I have had with Sir Edward Grey, I believe that I was right in the opinions I recently represented in Berlin with regard to the intentions of Russia towards us. Sir Edward Grey assures me that no one in Russia has any desire to wage war