On Friday week the Italian Senate passed the Bill con-
ferring extraordinary powers on the Government which the Chamber had passed on the previous day. The Italian Ambassador in Vienna presented a formal declaration of war last Sunday. The mobilization of the Italian Army and Navy was then complete. On the Austrian aide martial law was proclaimed in the Trentino, and the age-limit for military service was raised to fifty years. We may say here that the papers of Monday published summaries of the Note which the Austrian Government issued in answer to the Italian denunciation of the Triple Alliance Treaty. The Austrian point is that Italy bad promised not to withdraw from the Treaty without giving twelve months' notice. The promise cannot in any case be held to be violated by a declaration of war. No one either in Austria or Italy can have contemplated that, if ever war were declared between the two countries, it would be declared "twelve months hence." The Emperor Francis Joseph issued a manifesto to his people describing the policy of Italy as an act of perfidy unparalleled in history.
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