wn intentions and those of
other powers. Should, however, the case arise that, in the course
of events, the maintenance of the _status quo_ in the territory of
the Balkans or of the Ottoman coasts and islands in the Adriatic or
the AEgean Sea become impossible, and that, either in consequence of
the action of a third power or for any other reason, Austria-Hungary
or Italy should be obliged to change the _status quo_ for their
part by a temporary or permanent occupation, such occupation would
only take place after previous agreement between the two powers
which would have to be based upon the principle of a reciprocal
compensation for all territorial or other advantages that either
of them might acquire over and above the existing _status quo_,
and would have to satisfy the interests and rightful claims of
both parties."

When Austria-Hungary sent her ultimatum to Serbia in July, 1914,
Italy had lost no time in making her position clear. Premier Salandra
and the Marquis di San Giuliano, the Italian Foreign Minister,
conferred with Herr von Flotow, German Ambassador at Rome, on July
5, and dispatched the following memorandum to the Duke d'Avarna,
the Italian Ambassador at Vienna:

"Salandra and I called the special attention of the ambassador
to the fact that Austria had no right, according to the spirit of
the Triple Alliance Treaty, to make such a move as she has made
at Belgrade without previous agreement with her allies. Austria,
in fact, from the tone in which the note is conceived, and from
the demands she makes--demands which are of little effect against
the pan-Serb danger, but are profoundly offensive to Serbia and
indirectly to Russia--has shown clearly that she wishes to provoke
a war. We therefore told Flotow that, in consideration of Austria's
method of procedure, and of the defensive and conservative nature of
the Triple Alliance, Italy is under no obligation to help Austria
if as a result of this move of hers she should find herself at
war with Russia. For in this case any European war whatever will
be consequent upon an act of aggression and provocation on the
part of Austria."

When Austria failed to yield to this suggestion and declared war
on Serbia, Italy, on July 27 and 28, 1914, had notified Austria
and Germany that if she did not receive compensation for Austria's
disturbance of the Balkan equilibrium, "the Triple Alliance would
be irreparably broken."

While the Italian statesmen declare tha