THE TRIPOLI WAR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1375, 28 February 1912, Page 5

THE TRIPOLI WAR.

ALLEGED TURKISH ATROCITIES. By Telcsrapli—Pwbs Assoctallon-Copjriglil London, February 2G. London newspapers have received a memorandum from the Italian Government detailing ghastly atrocities committed upon the Italian soldiery on October 23 during the Turkish attack on Tripoli. Tho memorandum states that the enemy used Djm-dum bullets.

ITALY'S BILL. Rome, February 20. The Chamber of Deputies is considering the question of voting extraordinary credits,'amounting to 205,000,000 lire (approximately ,£8,500,000), to cover tho cost of tho war to the end of February. ITALIAN FINANCE AND THE WAlt, Tho Italian authorised expenditure on tho war from its commencement up to December 31 was 90,000,000 liro (.£3,600,000). Writing on December 8 the Koine correspondent of "The Times" said-.—lt may bo conjectured that tho estimate of about two and a half millions as the cost of the first ,two. months of warfare has been'somewhat exceeded. But it is not likely that the excess has been very serious; and, as the initial cost of the war has been provided for without any disturbance to the normal courso of finance, there cannot bo much strain involved in meeting a slightly heavier call. Meanwhile, r.s tho Foreign Minister has pointed out in a circular addressed to Italian diplomatic representatives abroad, neither tli'a eommeiTO nor the credit of Italy has suffered from the fact of her war with Turkey. The sum totul of exports during October of this year shows an actual increase of nearly .C1.000.0C0 over the total for October, 1910. For the most part this increase is furnished by an increased sale of fruit, fresh and preserved, and of raw silks. But there is also a marked increase in the export of manufactured goods, notably in automobiles. The imports, on the other band, havo slightly fallen off, showing a decreaso of somo i! 400,000 during October as against that month in 1910. But this decrease is principally owing to tho diminution in the import of grain, which is itself duo to the fact that tho harvest tins year in Italy was n particularly good one. The import of coal and raw stuffs for manufacture, an unmistakable sign of industrial progress, shows a considerable increase.

TURKISH PROTEST TO THE POWERS; (Eec. February 27, 10.15 p.m.) Constantinople, February 27. Turkey has protested to tho Powers against tho Italian warships firing upon Beirut twenty minutes after the first notice. It is claimed that this is a violation of Articles I and II of tho ninth Hague Convention.

Article I of tho Convention referred to prohibits in general terms tho bombardment of undefended places. Article 11, whilo prescribing a reasonable delay before the destruction of military works or establishments near a town, preserves the right of the commander of a fleet to decide that immediate bombardment is a military necessity.