Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1917. SHOULD VENICE FALL?

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLII, Issue 1016, 19 November 1917, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1917. SHOULD VENICE FALL?

Without being desperate the Italian situation is suilieiciitly critical to occasion a pood deal of concern on the part of the Allied Powers. The AustroCennan oJfensivo, following so closely upon the heels of the Russian debacle (which alone made it possible), is likely to be pursued by the joint forces of the Central Powers while a chance of taking Venice remains. The city lias rightly been described as the ‘‘Pearl” or “Queen of the Adriatic,” and it is of very considerable importance both to Austria and Italy. The city has passed through many vicissitudes. It covers rather more than seventy-two islets, or, more properly speaking, mud-banks in . the Adriatic Sea, its foundations being piles and stone. Its chief thoroughfares are the waterways or canals, some 1 17 in number (including the Grand Canal, which is two miles long), all bridged at frequent intervals, so that it is a veritable city of canals and bridges, the waterways being traversed by innumerable gondolas. It is connected with the mainland by a viaduct 2J miles long, over which the railway to Milan (1(55 miles east), and .Florence (181 miles north-north-east), is carried. It was a city of great importance in the fifteenth century, its population being then over 200,000, but by the eighteenth century the population had dwindled down to one half of that number. In 1911, however, the census revealed a considerable, increase, the population being then given as 1(10,727. From being an independent republic, governed by a strong oligarchy known as the Grand Council, Venice- foil into the hands of the French under the first Napoleon, in 1797, and, on the 17th October of that year, became part of Austria, under the Treaty of CampoFonnio. In 1805, however, as the result of the battle of Austerlitz, in which Napoleon defeated Austria, the Venetian States, with the Tyrol and Sorabia, were alienated from Austria; but, following the downfall of the great French Consul in 1815, and the re-ar-rangement of territories by the victorious Powers, Venice was again handed over to Austrian rule. From 1815 to 18-18 its citizens remained under the iron heel of Austria. In the latter year, led by Daniele Mania, they rose in revolt and joined in the struggle for Italian independence. The revolt ended in disaster, and, alter fifteen months’ siege, the ravages ol famine and cholera necessitated the surrender of the gallant hand of defenders, who find become sadlv reduced in numbers. The siege cost 'the Austrians 20,000 men, and. but for the reverses the Austrians sustained in 186(5 against Germany (her present ally), the city would probably have remained under Austrian domination. Those reverses, however, led to the incorporation of both the city and its territory with the kingdom of Italy, Victor Emmanuel making his first entry into the. city on Bio 7th November, 18(50.