24 OCTOBER 1914, Page 2

The Marquis di San Giuliano, Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs,

died in Rome on Friday week. Although he was Italian Ambassador in London from 1906 to 1910, his inclina- tions were ordinarily towards Germany and in favour of German influence. During the Balkan War he consistently played into the hands of Germany. On the other hand, it should be remembered that under his guidance Italy ranged herself with France at the Algeciras Conference, and that he declared for neutrality, rather than support the Germanic Powers' aggression, in the present war. It was the unpre- dictable character of his policy that caused him often to be mistrusted. Perhaps it would be true to say that he co- operated with Germany whenever he thought it safe to do so. He was a man of wide reading and cultivated taste, and an excellent conversationalist.