ITALY AND AUSTRIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 5247, 18 February 1882, Page 2 (Supplement)

ITALY AND AUSTRIA.

(Vienna Correspondent of Standard. CtL

December.)

: I am enabled to place at your disposal wine important information which, A t ih o present moment, possesses great interest About- four weeks before tb c famous Danizig interview a war betv,eon Russia and Austria was something . tooro tha-i a possibility. Although few people were at the time aware of the fo cfc> Btill fewer knew what lam about ',*> s t a te, and upon the authenticity of >y{uch your rea ders may rely, m spite of all tfomals which, for State purposes, it maybe deemed necessary to give it. Some time, back overtures wore made by Russia to. Italy, in which joint action fcgainat Austria was contemplated. The proposals were favourably received by the Italian Government, and preparations were actually beauu to repoat tho events o"f 1866, with thia exception, that Russia was now to play the part which was then performed by Prussia According to this project Russia was to commence operations, and Italy was to follow her lead as soon aa her preparations wore complete As I have said, the proposal waa accepted iv principle by the Italian Government, and so little concealment was employed that the scheme became known not only to ihe Austrian ambassador, but to the ambassador of Germany, both of: whom were able to report to their respective Governments what waa going forward. As soon as Prince Bismarck was informed of tho facts he took characteristic action. He did not think it worth while to offer good advice at Rome, but at once arranged the Dantzig interview. When tho Italians perceived this, and became aware that the Austro-German alliance was able to withstand the ordeal :of even an Austro-Russiau conflict, they resolved, with the shrewdness peculiar, to Italian statesmen, immediately to execute a volte-face, in order to attain their ends with the help of Austria, Boeing that they could not be accomplished in opposition to that Power. The leading Italian statesmen entertained the belief that Austria, backed up by Germany, cherishes important desigua in the east of Europe, and would willingly consent; even to the transfer of the Trontino and some other part of the "Italia Irredenta" in order |not to bo disturbed ia the East; just as Italy, in her infancy, ceded Savoy and.

Nice to France, so that she might obtain Lombardy and Venice. With these ob-

jects in view, the Italian Ambassador at' Vienna wna instructed to broach the sub

ject of au interview between the Eaiperor and tha King a3 a preliminary to the contemplated alliance between the two

countries, which the Italian statesmen flattered themselves they would be able to make the condition of their arrangement being carried out when a suitable opportunity arrived. Count Robilant accordingly made the desired 'overtures both to the Austriau Government and the Emperor, but ho carefully guarded himself against any allusion i.o the plans which wore ripening in the minds of his Government. The King and Queen of Italy came to Vienna, and, as you know, met with an unexpectedly enthusiastic reception. They wero accompanied by the Italian Ministers, who had several conferences with Herr voq Kallay, at that time the actual Chief of tlm Foreign Office, and also with Count Andra3sy, who, they .thought, would again become Foreign Minister. To both these statesmen they communicated, in a frank and quiet business like manner, the nature of the scheme they had prepared. So frank, indeed, were they that they did not use the slightest diplomatic disguiao, but openly suggested the cesssion of the Trentino as a set-off against Austrian acquisitions in tho E«st. Count Andrassy and Herr yon Kaltay were struck dumb with astonishment at the bold nature of the proposal. Neither of them uttered a word in reply, hearing in mind, as they did, that King Humbert and his Queen were still \he Emperor's guests. But from this time forward Italy was alluded to, both in Court and Government circles, in the coldest possible manner. Than came the now celebrated sitting of the Committee of the Hungarian Delegation. Herr Yon Kallay replied to tho questions put to him in regard to the relations subsisting between the Dual Empire and Italy in such a formal .manner that it was'apparenfc to everyone thai, his language had been carefully studiscf. When he said, "We neither expest nor fear anything from Italy, and she doea not expect anything from us," he intended his words as a useful liinfc to the Italian Ministers, to whom they would certainly be repeated, and who would clearly understand their meaning. Itdidnotappearto be his intention to infurm the whole world, or even the members of the Delegation, of what had taken place, his object, as '". have said, being simply to convey decisive information to tlie Italian Government. Count Andrassy, however, occupying a less responsible position, considered himself at liberty to.be more outspoken than Herr Yon Kallay, and to prove by his language, in a quarter whero it would be duly appreciated, that he, too., had the integrity of the Austro-fiungariata [Empire at heart. His speech, as you may lemeuiber, produced quite a sensation aiuoag the delegates. It is well known, what followed. Explanations had te> be offered by the Emperor's 'special command, who would not permit offence to b© «iven to his royal guests". The whofe matter thus appeared to be amicably arranged, but the very day after tha departure of the King and Queen, Fii tld-marshal Beck, tha Emperor's First Adjutant and Commander of the General Staff, went, as I informed you at the -time, to inspect the Auatriau fortresses o;& the Italian frontier. Since the events abo^ve described, nothing fnrther has been hi a'ted at by the Italian Ministers re*pectir,g the cession of tho Trenlino. The bargain they intended to make was "lost; biv.t, on the other hand, Italy has secured a- friendly uuderstauding with Austria., which ought to be useful to. her for- other purposes than those they had in. Tie w. The negotiations which have taken pilace between Prince Bismarck and the Popa, whether seriously meant or not, should teach the Italian Government -that the good-will of Ger many is to be obtajiiwd only through Austria. The German. 'Chancellor prefers having nothing to do —at all events for the present—with sl-atcanien who were quite willing to ally themselves with liussia against an ally of Germany, but who were yet keen enough to turn round and otter the same ally a bargain:whe () they thought their ends. could be more speedily gained iv this direction. Tht fr'.endly arrangement now subsisting between Italy and Austria may beenduiing, but Signor Mancini and Signor Depress have for ever forfeited the confidence of Prince Bismarck. -