Count von Billow and Signor Prinetti, the Italian Foreign Minister,
are to meet this week and make final arrangements for the renewal of 'the Triple Alliance, which expires early next year. No doubt seems to be felt that it will be renewed, as Italy cannot place herself at the mercy of France; but the Italian Cabinet is very anxious that the agricultural products of the Peninsula should not be kept out of Germany, and as the German Chancellor has to conciliate the Agrarians, some delicate negotiation is indispensable. The German Court does not perhaps rate the assistance which Italy could give it in war very highly; but the Austrian statesmen are most anxious to be exempted from any danger of an Italian attack, and thus enabled to throw their whole military strength towards the East. This will be the more necessary if, as is believed in well-informed quarters, the German plan of cam- paign, should it ever begin, is to hurl back France by an invasion, but to maintain with Austrian help a defensive war against Russia on the line of the Vistula. Even if Napoleon's campaign were not an historical warning, an invasion of Russia is obviously a most hopeless task.
