The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-08-07
Decision That World Has
Been Waiting Plunges
All Europe in War-Ger-
many Causes War by Re-
fusing to Respect Bel
GUMS neutrality.

London, Aug. 4.-Great Britain de-
clared war on Germany tonight.
The momentous decision of the
British government for which the
whole world has been waiting came
before the expiration of the time linn
1T set by Great Blitain in her ultima
tum to Germany demanding a salts
factory reply on the subject of Bel
gian neutrality.
Germany's reply was the summary
rejection of the request that Belgian
neutrality should be respected.
The British ambassador at Berlin
the British government notified Ger
many that a state of war existed be-
tween the two countries.
The British foreign office has issued
the following statement:
Owing to the summary rejection
by the German government of the re-
quest made by his Britannia majes-
tvs government that the neutrality
of Belgium should be respected, his
majesty's ambassador at Berlin has
received his passports, and his majes-
tvs government has declared to the
German government that state OF
war exists between Graf Britain and
Germany from II o'clock p. M, Au-
gust 4"
All Europe is in arms.
On the one hand Austria Hungary
and Germany are opposed by Russia,
France, Great Britain, Servia and
Montenegro. Italy has declared her
neutrality. but is mobilizing. Bel
gium, Holland and Switzerland have
mobilized.
The German demand that the Bel
rrra IL
free passage of German troops
hasty preparation to resist such an
advance across Belgian territory.
Sweden has m; 'e no answer to in
quiries from R sia and Germany re-
garding her atti ,ude, but is preparing
to defend her neutrality.
Japan is making ready to live up to
her alliance with Great Britain in
case of certain eventualities.
Spain is reported to be preparing
a proclamation of neutrality.
Austria Hungary for the moment
has retired from her campaign
against Servia for the purpose of
holding back Russia, and Servia has
mobilized with the reported intention
of invading Bosnia.
Great Britain declared war on Ger
many at o'clock tonight. The an
nouncement that Germany had de-
clared war on Great Britain was due
to an error in the admiralty's state
ment.
Thousands assembled tonight be-
fore Buckingham palace until the
king and queen. the Prince of Wales
and Princess Mary appeared on the
balcony.
The statues of military heroes
throughout the city are being draped
with flags.
A mob gathered outside the Ger
man embassy in Charlton house ter
race tonight. The demonstrators
groaned and hooted and finally stones
were thrown which broke windows
The German ambassador, Prince
Lichnowsky, with the members of his
staff, was in the garden, but quickly
withdrew to the house.
A force of mounted and foot police
reinforced the regular guard and
drove off the crowd with difficulty.
In the event of war Great Britain
will take over all warships now build
ing in England for foreign powers
Work is being pushed on all British
vessels in the hands of builders and
repairers.
The British admiralty officially an
nounces that the government has tax
en- over the two battleships-one COM
pleted and the other nearly complet-
ed-ordered in England by Turkey
and two destroyers ordered in Chile.
The battleships have been named the
Erin and Agincourt.