On August 3, M. de Giers telegraphed to Petrograd saying he had received from the Grand Vizier an assurance that the Porte was absolutely ready to dismiss all German officers, and that this readi-nos had been reported by the Minister of War, Enver Pasha, to General Liman von Sanders, a hint that his German officers. might return home at any time and that. Turkey had no object in further retaining their services. General von Sanders replied that he had received orders from Berlin to remain in Constantinople. On August 4, M. de Giers informed the Russian For-sign Office that the Turkish Council of Ministers had decided to maintain strict neutrality, and that the Bosphorus and. the Dardanelles would be mined.
On the following day, the Russian Ambassador informed his Government that the Turkish Minister of War had positively assured him that Turkey had insisted upon the return of all German officers, but that they had declined to leave, Enver Bey expressed the opinion that they were remaining in Constantinople with the deliberate intention of involving Turkey in some complication.
On August 2, the Russian Ambassador telegraphed to M. Sassan-off: ~As Tam informed that Turkey has decided to make full mobilization, T immediately called upon the Grand Vizier and inquired of him the object of the mobilization. Hei din that the report of mobilization was correct, but he was ignorant as to what troops would called up. He only knows that thas ben decided to collect ay in Thrace and the Bosphorus, ring 3 against Bnlasia, hut there is ne intention kish troops on the itn D attest
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.