ITALY ON THE BRINK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15914, 11 May 1915, Page 8

ITALY ON THE BRINK.

FIRST LINE MOBILISED,

ACTION IN THE £GEAN,

ANNEXATION" OF ISLANDS.

REPORTED NOTE TO TURKEY.

(Received May 10, 4 p.m.)

Rome, May &

Excitement in Italy is increasing. Three thousand more German refugees have arrived at the frontier. The mobilisation of Italy's first line is complete. The Giornale d'ltalia has a fullpage article in the boldest type warning the nation to be prepared for grave events. The Milan newspaper Secolo says that the Government hfl,s sent a message to Turkey repudiating the Treaty of Lausanne, and annexing 12 islands of the Southern Jlgean.

By the treaty of Lausanne, which concluded the war between Italy and Turkey in 1912, Turkey ceded Tripoli, in North Africa, to Italy. Under the terms of the treaty, Italy promised to return to Turkey islands occupied in the Jlgean Sea when the Turkish troops had been removed from Tripoli, and under the following conditions :-<l) Amnesty will be proclaimed in favour of the inhabitants; (2) local autonomies will be respected; ($)) public liberty will be guaranteed; (4) the islands will not be returned to Turkey until the clauses of the present agreement have been loyally and entirely applied. The JEgean Islands occupied by Italy are known as the Dodecanese. They lie off the coast of Asia Minor,, south of Smyrna, and include the island of Rhodes. In May, 1914, the late Marquis di San Giul'iano, then Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs in reply to a communication of Sir Edward Grey to the Powers, characterising the Italian occupation of the islands as abnormal, gave the assurance that the islands would bo given back to Turkey at a date and on conditions agreed upon by Italy and Turkey.

PREPARING TEE WAY.

AGREEMENT WITH SERVIA.

ACTION BY THE KAISER.

London, May 9.

A message from' Rome says that an agreement has been reached by Italy and Servia concerning the desire of Servia for an outlet to the Adriatic. The exodus of Austrians and Germans from Italy continues in a wholesale manner, those who have gone including the Embassy staffs. Students at Florence hissed the departing trains, and there were cries of " Down with Austria and Germany

Advices from Berlin to Copenhagen state that Italy has summoned to the colours all the infantry classes from and including those of 1876. Many train loads of troops are proceeding to the north-eastern front.

The Kaiser has forwarded an autograph letter to the King of Italy. v

ON THE AUSTRIAN SIDE.

TRENTINO AN ARMED CAMP. London, May 9.

A correspondent returned from a tour from the Tyrol to the Trentino found Innsbruck a vast hospital, with the Red Cross flag everywhere. The streets were filled with wounded. The Trentino was an armed camp, with 18,000 troops in the field. Strategic points were being fortified with feverish zeal. Normal life had ceased, and no men were seen in civilian dress.