The bitterness between Italians and Austrians—always latent, though of late
years much suppressed—has recently broken out again. The causes of quarrel are some oppres- sions alleged to have been suffered in the Italian Tyrol, and a suspicion that the Austrians intend to occupy Albania, which the Italians mark out as their share whenever the Balkans come to be divided. The Italian Government is, of course, quite correct in its attitude, but the Press and some popular leaders have used language which has provoked the Austrian Government to the unusual step of issuing through its inspired journal, the Provincial Correspondence, a note of warning. It denies the existence even of "tension" between the Governments, and declares the idea of war between them to be "monstrous." In regard to differences in the Balkans, it is only needful, it remarks, to say that affairs in that region are controlled by all the European Powers. The serious organs of public opinion are therefore invited to "make a clean sweep of all such injurious rumours." There is some fire under all this smoke, but it must be very little, as Italy cannot contend with Austria plus Germany. It is to be noted. that a kind of irritable suspicion has been displayed in Vienna ever since the King of Italy married the Monte- negrin Princess. The Montags Revue, also demi-official, traces the agitation to Montenegro and to anti-Austrian intrigues in the Balkans, and there are reports that Vienna regards the new Italian Commandant of Gendarmerie in Macedonia with disfavour, and has asked the Sultan to strengthen the Austrian element in that force.
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