“No words of ours can exaggerate the gravity of the present crisis on the Continent.” So started the leader on page 10 as it looked increasingly likely that Austria-Hungary would go to war with Serbia. Although the paper had “no sympathy whatsoever with Servia” and felt that there was justification for Austria’s actions, it was nervous as to what an outbreak of hostilities would engender, describing such a step as “the first link in a chain of events unloosing the inveterate hostility of Teuton and Slav”. Foreign Secretary Sir Edward Grey was called upon to lead mediation, as with Great Britain “suddenly confronted with the terrible phantom of that great war on the Continent” what was needed was to “throw aside selfish aims and work for a peaceful solution of this appalling problem.” The dangers of the current situation in Europe had suddenly become all too horribly clear.