BRITAIN'S DECISION

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2220, 5 August 1914, Page 7

BRITAIN'S DECISION

♦ r FLEET WILL PROTECT THE FRENCH COAST IF GERMANY ATTACKS IT FRENCH ARMIES CROSS THE . FRONTIER NAVAL BATTLE IN THE BALTIC , GERMAN ULTIMATUM TO ' BELGIUM To-day's news makes it clear that Britain is prepared for war._ A full roporfc of the clear'and explicit .declaration made by S.ir , Edward' Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, in the House of Commons on Monday afternoon has been forwarded. The position, as it affects Great Britain, is ' concisely set forth. If the German fleet enters the North Sea or the Channel the British Navy will oppose it, and this undertaking has been given to France. Sir Edward Grey says that this is not a Declaration of War, but it is probable that Germany will accept it as such. The mobilisation of the British Navy was completed on Monday morning, and the mobilisation of the British Army was to begin at midnight. Th'eso are significant movements. The wholo British Empire is now in a state of preparedness for war, and the cable messages give a good deal of information on this point. Of actual hostilities there are rumours-of a naval engagement in tho Baltic, and that tho Russian fleet, which is , immeasurably inferior to-the German, fleet was forced to take , refuge on the Finnish coast. The French are said to have started on tho invasion of Germany with two Army Corps, each ( fifty thousand strong. The Austrians , have withdrawn ,their forces from the Servian frontier, and are hurrying them to the Eussian frontier to face their moro powerful enemy there. Germany has endeavoured to compel Belgium to agree to German . troops operating in that country, in their movement against France, but Belgium, in a dignified reply,, has refused permission and expressed her' determination to oppose the Germans should they trespass on what is neutral ground. The indications all round point moro strongly than ever to the inevitableness of Britain participating in tho war. Mr. John Burns,. a member of the Asquith Government, has resigned his position in the Ministry apparently on accouniof differences with his colleagues on the war situation. In the New Zealand parliament 'yesterday Mr. Massey announced the preparations made hero and Sir ' Joseph Ward gave assurance of tho hearty approval and support', of the Opposition Party. , • , .