ITALY AND AUSTRIA

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2392, 23 February 1915, Page 5

ITALY AND AUSTRIA

SITUATION EXTREMELY GRAVE, DEFIANT TONE IN-VMM "London, February 20-/" • The Italian Chamber of Deputies is debating tie Budget. There is great nervousness in political circles' owmffto Vienna's defiant attitude regarding' concessions to Italy. - ' : ;v _ Several deputies • have described tig situation as extremely ■ grave.— ("Times"- and Sydney "Sun" Services.), The progress of the debates in iha Italian Parliament subsequent to the-" Prime Minister's speech on December ? has borne witness to the great confidence which the. Government . enjoys • if. 'Jhe_ country (states the ' 'Manchester, •. Guardian" of a recent date).. Signor. Salandra lias managed to content all parties save a small section of extreme pacifists. l The Government's majorities have been enormous—a round dOQ against 40. Those in favour of' an indefinite continuanco of Italy's attitude of neutrality are confident that: the Government will not depart from that attitude without due causer- Those, on the other hand, in favour of intervention aro prepared to give the Government full liberty for .choosing the moment; confident that it- will not allow an opportune moment to'pass by. Neither opinion is incorrect. There, is little doubt that Italy will intervene, in t the event of'a ' collapse of ..Austria;/ . though the act of intervention, would'i be directed against Austria, the object" of the intervention would be directed against her rival claimants for the par- „ tition of Austrian territory.,' But thai , - Government will do all in its power' to' keep Italy out of- the fray until tha last phase of the war. - £ The positive aims which Italy has est , out to attain as the result of the war, ' are two only:_(l) An indisputably predominant position in the Adriatic; a relatively, stronger position in- the' Mediterranean witfh regard to France.She believes she will be able to attain' , these ehd3, on the one hand, by bring-') ing her army and navy to a supreme pitch of efficiency and keeping them.in*', taot," and,, on; the other hand, by; retaining Talona.. . - The efficiency of the 'army and navy is from all accounts already very high. By,, the spring every deficiency, mil have been remedied. I have made exhaustive inquiries on this account in various offi- ~ cial aiid semi-official Quarters./ The 'defects' of the Italian army have been: hitherto a deficiency of stores of all, kinds;' a deficiency of aeroplanes* o£y heavy artillery, and of the most modern'. 1, typos of : field artillery;'.-a. defective oih > ganisation, a lack of training of afl her. second line troops, and a lack of younger t men in the higher . commands. By.t the spring all these defects will Have-' been made good. Over £44,000,000 hafi been voted |or extraordinary expenditure on the army and navy, in addition to this year's incraased-armv .and navy-estimates,'and withont taking account of the increased expenditure required this year for military purposes in Tripoli. An internal loan is to he issued next month -40 cover the.,cur? rent year'B estimated..deficit,.,.-,",Meau-while a thorough reorganisation of the army is being carried outi- An- abuud- ' ance of supnlies of all-kinds are.being collected. Elaborate plans are being detailed' to - meet every coflcemble

'emergency, y: •' _ By. the spring the armv •will posses* ft quantity of heavy l artillery, and :will be equipped throug,heut"'with- the i= new. "Deport"--field gun. - Aeroplanes.are.be* in? constructed in large'quantities',- tei sides several dirigibles of a'- s®™ l " rigid type','arid miitiy riddit.i'onarCtirtiss biplanes have been ordered from America. A reorranipatiori of the com-, mandos has taken, place .^hidi apiwrtions .responsible 'i>osts:;tp^y^uin-| her of younger men. Finally, by lteenincr: classes svith the .colours, by, the spring ovetf men /will-nave received a reodiit'militarv training, aria a quarter of these will have experienced active service .in Africa. _