No explanation of Bulgaria's action was forthcoming till Monday, when
the papers printed the semi.official statement issued at Sofia on Thursday week. According to this docu- ment, Bulgaria's mobilization was a declaration of armed neutrality. She had not the slightest aggressive intention, but was firmly resolved to defend fully armed her rights and independence :— "Following the example of Holland and Switzerland, who did not hesitate to resort to such action at the beginning of the present war, Bulgaria is obliged, in view of the movements of troops effected by her neighbours, and in view of the danger which threatens her from the fact of the Austro-German offensive against Serbia, to proclaim her armed neutrality, while at the same time continuing her conversations and pounloriars with the repre- sentatives of the two belligerent groups.'
The mention of the Austro-German offensive as one of the dangers threatening Bulgaria suggests that if Bulgaria s original purpose was to side with Germany, she had consider- ably shifted her gronna. She was, in fact, acting on second thoughts.
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