452 



ITALY. 



in denominations of five and ten francs. The 

 600 millions of metal are to be paid out as soon 

 as possible, and the paper currency to that 

 amount destroyed, an operation which will 

 take several years. 



Irredentist Demonstrations. In seeking a good 

 understanding with Austria and Germany, Sig- 

 nor Depretis was obliged, not only to renounce 

 the political support of the Radicals, but to 

 sustain a conflict with the large section of the 

 people who imbibe their political ideas from 

 France, and for the first time to resort to for- 

 cible measures for the suppression of Irreden- 

 tist demonstrations. Violent articles against 

 Austria appeared in the newspapers. The exe- 

 cution of Oberdank for an attempt on the life 

 of the Austrian Emperor was made a pretext 

 for anti-Austrian demonstrations. In Decem- 

 ber a riot took place before the Austrian em- 

 bassy in Rome. In January a man was sen- 

 tenced to three years' imprisonment for throw- 

 ing a stone at the carriage of the Austrian 

 embassador. On January 4th a printer was 

 arrested for firing with a revolver at the es- 

 cutcheon over the door of the embassy. Stu- 

 dents and professors of the universities took 

 part in unveiling a bust of Oberdank and other 

 demonstrations of the kind. On February 27th 

 some paper bombs were exploded in front of 

 the two Austrian embassies to the Quirinal 

 and the Vatican. 



Foreign Relations. In March, Signer Mancini 

 delivered an important speech, in which he ex- 

 plained his foreign policy, and confirmed the 

 declarations of the Hungarian Premier regard- 

 ing the triple alliance. He spoke of the cool- 

 ness which existed previously between Italy 

 and the Central European powers, caused by 

 the suspicion that Italy in every European ac- 

 tion sought to acquire some territorial accession, 

 the notion that her army was useless except 

 for defense, and the disquieting effect of the 

 radical ideas of popular sovereignty and the 

 Irredentist aspirations which were supposed 

 to prevail in Italian politics. In the Egyptian 

 question it was first seen that Italy and the 

 central powers had similar interests in Euro- 

 pean politics. The refusal of Italy to join the 

 armed intervention in Egypt on the invitation 

 of Great Britain was justified on the ground 

 that Italy's interests demanded adherence to 

 the policy of opposition to the dual control and 

 to armed intervention altogether, and to the 

 position that the decision of Egyptian questions 

 should become the common affair of the great 

 powers. The attitude of Italy in this matter, 

 and the action of the Government in regard 

 to Irredentist demonstrations, created a favor- 

 able impression, and led to an understanding 

 with the German powers concerning their com- 

 mon interests in the perpetuation of peace and 

 preservation of the existing conditions, though 

 not to a formal treaty. He repelled the sug- 

 gestion that Italy had been refused admission 

 to the league between the two empires, de- 

 claring taat a power with 30,000,000 souls, 



and a magnificent army and navy, had no need 

 to sue for an alliance, and only offers an alliance 

 where she is confident of its being acceptable. 

 The informal alliance has an entirely legiti- 

 mate and pacific object, and does not involve 

 an estrangement from France, with whom 

 Italy is connected by a community of interests 

 and needs. One of the main points in the 

 triple agreement is that each of the powers 

 shall not only refrain from any hostile action, 

 but avoid courses which would be likely to 

 awaken distrust. The Irredentist agitation, he 

 asserted, is based on no theory or principle; 

 otherwise Italy would be driven to reclaim 

 Corsica, Malta, and the canton of Ticino, as 

 well as Trieste, and the Trentino. The Gov- 

 ernment, through the attitude taken in the 

 triple agreement, which was a pledge of peace, 

 hoped in time to bring about a better under- 

 standing with France, as well as to retain the 

 sympathy of England, which power was des- 

 ignated Italy's constantly loyal friend. The 

 relations with France were asserted to be im- 

 proving. The treaty of commerce was con- 

 cluded. In the matter of the abrogation ot 

 the capitulations in Tunis, Italy followed the 

 course adopted by Great Britain, and reserved 

 her definitive answer until a tangible proposal 

 was presented, and the details of the system 

 of courts which France wished to substitute 

 for the consular tribunals explained to the Gov- 

 ernment. In Egyptian affairs Italy had acted 

 in harmony with Germany and Austria, and 

 declined to take part in the expedition, from 

 the consideration that, if the Italian flag had 

 floated beside the English, the French flag 

 would have been unfolded also on the coast of 

 Egypt, which would have led to complications. 

 The minister denied that an alliance with Aus- 

 tria and Germany would be prejudicial to the 

 free internal development of Italy. The Irre- 

 dentist movement he represented as the work 

 of misled youth or of an anti-monarchic minor- 

 ity, which utilizes Irredentism to create em- 

 barrassments for the Government. The Gov- 

 ernment would advance, he declared, in the 

 direction indicated, and derive from this course 

 augmented strength and security without any 

 sacrifice of .constitutional liberty, dignity, or 

 independence. 



Italy, as well as England, finally agreed to 

 the abolition of the capitulations in Tunis. 



The Chamber. The new Chamber, chosen 

 under the electoral law passed the previous ses- 

 sion, assembled at the end of November, 1882. 

 The Radical wing of the Liberal party was 

 largely re-enforced through the operation of 

 the extended franchise. The Republican and 

 Irredentist faction was determined to exert a 

 popular pressure on the Government and con- 

 strain Signor Depretis, if possible, to retrace 

 the course he had taken in the direction of 

 conservative monarchism and abandon his al- 

 liance with the Central European powers. The 

 contest was begun in the Parliament by the 

 refusal of a number of deputies to take the oath 



