WHY ITALY WANTS TRIPOLI.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11655, 10 June 1912, Page 6

WHY ITALY WANTS TRIPOLI.

CBLSPI'S GREAT MANOEUVRE AGAINST FRANCE. The most interesting .chapters .'.of tho \ memoirs are the last,, and' they explain | Italian ambitions in Tripoli. bigiior , Crispi wrote to the Italian Ambassador hi- Berlin on July 18, 1890: "I "revert to the question n! Tunis once more. The. occupation, ot Tallin bv the French in 1881 produced the duw'ufall of the Ministry. r llie country was deeply mortified, but at that time Italv was'"isolated. . "To-dav. however, the Triple Alliance exists. an<3 the change of sovereignty in Tunis would pioduce two consequences —the withdrawal of the present Ministry and sv general conviction :m the minds of the "people that the Triple Alliance is of-no use. This second consequence would be fatal, and the Berlin Cahinet must take it into serious consideration. ... "I am convinced that if Germany will make it understood at Par>s_ that the execution of the treaty of July nintn might lead 1 to war. the Government ol the Republic will consent to an adjustment with Italy. __ , . "Communicate tins opinion ot mine •to the Chancellor of the Empire.' Five davs later he wrote to Lord Salisbury,' then British Torcgn Mmis--6 "Should this change a': <teminasion in Tunis be allowed to take place against our will and without encountering op-_ position on our part, Tripoli.s turn would socn come. That the Government of the Remiblic desirest<v occupy that region is proved beyond doubt by the frontier incursions that are continually taking place! In fins case one Power'alone would dominate Northern Africa from Morocco to Fg.vpt, and this Power would control the freedom ot tha Mediterranean- As' for Italy, -she would be nermanently menaced' by France and' Malta and Egypt wouki not suffice to ensure the position ol Great Britain. In the presence ot such peril as this wc must prepare ourselves and prccent the accomplishment of Fence's plans. As Tunis cannot be rendered independent and tixe Protectorate prevented from one day or another becoming a sovereignty, it is ot •rveat imnoitancc- that we provide aoain.st future occupation, of Tripoli by Fnmce by forestalling her in taking possession of that country. If we he... Tripoli. Biseita would cease to be :, .menace either to Italy or Great Britain. We are vour necessary allies, and oiir union guarantes your dominion m Malta, and Eaypt. Thanks to this union Italv would no longer have to fear a double and simultaneous military expedition directed against her trom Toulon and Biserta." • Lord Salisbury agreed with the Itu- . lian point o'f.view. Catalan!, the Charge d'Affairs in London, leported to Rome , a.' conversation he had with the British , Minister on July 31:— . "He furthermore made the followng declaration-.—"The occupation of Tn- ' poli by Ita'lv must be accomplished re- ' trardle's.s of what may happen- in Egypt, '■ that is to say, whether Egypt remain under British control or in tire hands ot the Sultan. The interest of Europe d.e- . maud this occupation, that the Mediterranean may be prevented from becoming a French lake. The only point to be further considered 1 is whether the present moment be the best sii'ted for putting this undertaking into execution-" -... . But Lord Salisbury counselled modei ration and: waiting, and Signor Crispi fell before his ambitions were realised. It is curious to note that he had no . fear -of Turkish resistance. "Turkey is not strong enough to saleguard' the. freedom of the Mediterranea.'i. She is incapable of arresting the 'encroachments on the territory of Tripoli that have been going on for the last nine years along' the Tunisian- frontier. It is /therefore, more than probable that she wi:i: be unable offer opposition to the- occupation of this region.- Owing to her peculiar position. Turkey possesses only "the strength of the weak" ; she is capable only of sowing dissension among the stiong, who are obliged to exercise- great forbearance for fear oi what may supervene. But this privilege which the Sultan enjoys must not bo allowed to constitute a permanent danger to the other 'States which hold sway in the Mediterranean, and whose duty it is to safeguard their own existence there, and maintain- their right., inviolate." "As it happened', it is the. Arab tribesmen who aie making the Italian occupation of Tripoli difficult and perhaps impossible. Signer Crispi counted jii their friendship: •-Sid'. Mass.unn. Karamairli showed himself disposed' to support Italian occupation, he being convinced that if we do not occupy Tripoli others will speedily. He declares he can command all of the hill'tribes, as they are' all his ■devoted: followers. He asked for time to prepare the ground, and for money, not. for himself, but for the sheikhs. lie would' be willing to accept a form ot government similar to that of Tunis, and .declares- that by such an. arrangement opposition en the part of the Arabs would be avoided, and the country pacified. He has no doubt Turkey will resist: our advance,, but- if deprived of the he'ip of the Arabs she will soon yield befcri the Italian forces.. He recommends the utmost caution, as he is closely watched by the Governor General. He says the country is weary of Turkish occupation.'.' The -world changes in twenty years The .Arabs may be weary of the Turks still, but a Moslem, revival has occurred and they prefer government by the Crescent to subjection to a Christian Power.