Austria-Hungary, for instance, the nearest neighbor, would be ready to accept the entire heritage of the present Russian conquest, and be responsible for the future of these Slavic countries, either by incorporating them in the state of Hungary or establishing them as dependencies.  I do not believe that this is an end which Austria can much desire in view of her own Slavic subjects.  She cannot wish to be the editor of the future in the Balkan peninsula, as she would have to be if she won a victory.

I mention all these eventualities, in which I place no faith, for the sake of proving how slight the reasonable probability of a European war appears to be.  It is not reasonably probable that the greater or lesser extent of a tributary State—­unless conditions were altogether unbearable—­should induce two neighboring and friendly powers to start a destructive European war in cold blood!  The blood will be cooler, I assure you, when we have at last come together in a conference.

It was to meet these eventualities that the idea of a conference was first proposed by the government of Austria-Hungary.  We were from the start ready to accept it, and we were almost the first to do so.  Concerning the selection of a place where the conference should be held, difficulties arose which I consider out of proportion to the significance of the whole matter.  But even in this direction we have raised no objections and declared ourselves satisfied with the places which have been mentioned.  They were Vienna, Brussels, Baden-Baden, Wiesbaden, Wildbad, a place in Switzerland—­I should, however, say Wildbad was mentioned by no one but itself.  Stuttgart was also mentioned.  Any of these places would have been agreeable to us.  It now seems—­if I am correctly informed, and the decision must be made in a few days—­that the choice will fall on Baden-Baden.  Our interest, which is shared by those powers with whom we have corresponded, is the despatch of the conference irrespective of the choice of a place, which is for us of little consequence.  As regards places in Germany I have expressed no opinion beyond this, that on German soil the presidency would have to be German.  This view has nowhere been opposed.  After the general acceptance of this principle it will depend on the men sent to attend this conference whether for reasons of expediency it must be adhered to.  Personally I believe the conference is assured, and I expect that it will take place in the first half of next March.  It would be desirable that the conference should take place sooner—­and the uncertainty concerning it be ended.  But before the powers join in a conference, they naturally desire an exchange of opinion the one with the other; and the connections with the seat of war are really very slow.  The delay of the communications which reached us was, and still is, explained by the delay with which news comes from the seat of war.  The suspicion which has for some time been felt in