ITALY'S EXPANSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 115, 4 November 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

ITALY'S EXPANSION.

WI'UKI.OWIXC I'OI'ULATION. Tin' genesis of the crisis in Italy is to In: found in the natural expansion of Italy, consequent liiioii lier largely increased population in recent years, and in her claims to a share to compensate for the acquisitions of other Powers in the rich prizes of Africa. With the enormous increase in Knropean population during the last 100 years great incentive to the colonising of Northern Africa has been added. France, who perhaps is less in need of expansion than anyone else, got the lion's share—that is to say, if we leave out of the question the British occupation of Egypt, which is of a somewhat ilillerent character. Ttaly had for some time been casting longing eyes on Tunis, the proximity of whicli to her own shoves rendered it highly desirable that it should not fall into the hands of another—above all, an unfriendly Power. Unfortunately for Italy, however, France was already on the scene. She had already assumed control of Algeria, and it was an easy step to evtend a protecting arm over the neighboring territory of Tunis; and, as Italy was at that time in am position to enforce her own claims in the matter, the action-of the French Government remained undisputed. It was, however, tacitly recognised henceforth throughout the diplomatic world that should Italy feel disposed to assert herself in Tripoli, the adjoining territory and a vilayet or province of the Ottoman Rmipre, a blind eye would be turned. For some time, however, she contented herself with experiments at colonisation in Somaliland and Abyssinia, until the battle of Adowa set 'a final '•non possumus" upon all hopes of the. young kingdom in that quarter. '

THE GROWTH OF ITALY. In the meantime Italy was growing, and next to Germany her growth has been the most phenomenal of any European country. Between 1870 (the year of the foundation of the United Kingdom of Italy) and the present year, the .population of Italv itself has risen from 22,000,000 to 30,000,000, while there are no less than 0,000,000 Italians living in foreign countries. Something like 200,000 Italians emigrate annually to the United States; in the Argentine they are to he counted 'by hundreds of thousands. In ten years the population of Italy has risen by 4,000,000. The increase in number's has been assisted enormously by the success with which the Government has fought against disease. The deaths from malaria and pellagra have been reduced in ten years from 16,000 to 3000, and from 3500 to 1300 respectively. Something like £112,000,000 has been spent in 25 years on works relative to the public health. It is no wonder that, with these facts before them, with a population continually flowing away to he lost to the State, with an increasing commerce, an internal unanimity, a strong army and navy, the Italian Government should begin again to turn its attention to Tripoli. TREATMENT BY THE PORTE.

Italian citizens had already done so. The north of Africa contains a remarkably large percentage of Italian residents. Tripoli is full of them. Tunis, a French protectorate, contains far more Italians than Frenchmen. The Italians in Tripoli formed no colony in the sense of a community owning' the soil on which they lived. They remained citizens of Ttaly. living abroad, and directly subject to the laws of the country in which they lived and the Government under which they resided. Without hecoming an Oriental, a European living under Oriental government is not likely to ,find everything to his taste; when the single unit of discontent is multiplied indefinitely the situation becomes clamorous. For months past the Italian Senate had continually heard complaints of unfair .treatment by the Turkish Government of tlalian residents, and by June, 11)11, the feeling had reached an acute point. A heated debate took place. Count Giuceiardini declared that Europe was passing through a period of great diplomatic activity, in which the Great Powers were working at the dissolution of old situations and the creation of new ones. He lias listened carefully, but could not hear the voice of Ttaly in the international concert, and he feared lest not. only the legitimate aspiration of his country, but even her economic and social interests, should be ignored. The Marquis di San Giuliano, who took the opposite side, was attacked in the Italian press, and accused of forcing on Italy a ''policy of cowardice." of perhaps small retreats' and surrenders. Tlalian armour propre, in short, was deeply wounded, and by June 23 the Marquis himself had to declare that the economic activity of the Italians in Tripoli could not be hampered by the procrastination and tergiversation of the local authorities. The feeling of irritation was aggravated by the action, or inaction, of the Porte, whicli refused either to listen to the protests of the Italian Government regarding the unfair treatment to which its subjects in Tripoli were subjected, or to grant to Italy the preferential conditions to which her position .entitled her. The occasion of the Moroccan difficulty has evidently appeared to her the most suitable opportunity for the ultimate presentation of her claims, hoping, as she doubtless does, that thereby the entire JTovth African question may be finally and simultaneously settled. The proximity of the French in Tunis, and the fact that munitions of war have been'sent to Tripoli from Germany, however, open up vistas of less desirable possibilities.

A VALUABLE POSSESSION. The estimated area of Tripoli, including the San.jak of Bcnghaz.i (Bavca). is about 400,000 square miles, but owing to the fact that, while the western and eastern frontiers are clearly defined, that of the former having been determined by France and Turkey in 1S!)2, the southern limit is still undecided, this estimate must remain at present purely conventional. The country has been more or less dominated by the Turks since the sixteenth century. Tn 1714 the Arab population managed to secure a certain amount of independence, but the country was formally proclaimed a Turkish villavet under separate administration about 40 years later. The capital, Tripoli, has a population of 40,000. while Benghazi. Derna, Ohadames. Murzuk and (That have likewise proportionately large populations. Altogether the population of the country is about a million and a half, on a maximum estimate, mostlv consisting of Berbers, with a large admixture of Kabvles and Jews. There are practically no Turkish settlers, the European population 'being chiefly Maltese and Italians, to the number of 5000 or '6000; but Turkish is the official language, though in general use it gives way to Arabic. On the other hand, all the important officials are Turks, the chief authority, both civil and military, being the fiovernor-fienernl, and there are about 10.000 Turkish troops, who occupv the capital. The trade of the, countrv. about a quarter of Avbich consists .of the caravan trade of the Soudan, practically all passes through Tripoli and Benghazi. The exports of esparto fibre, skins and bides, ostrich feathers and sponges ihake the country a valuable portion of the Ottoman Empire.