The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-10-09
Ilaly's Critical Financial State Draws
Attention
BUT FOR GERMANY AND AUSTRIA
Frcnch IntrIgues Would Have Prevented
That Country Negotiating . Rent
Loan OF 600. 900. 900 Frsnos-Preparing
foSs Gold Standards

DEhLiN OCt. ~ Wnllo tTiuCo Dhs
marck absorbs popular interest, which
never tires OF the minutest detail regard
ing him. official and diplomatic attention
has been directed to the critical financial
condition of Italy and the probable effect
OF this condition on her relations TO the
triple alliance.
Last week the position OF the Italian
government was so uncertain that a Berlin
syndicate hesitated to advance the 40, 00O,-
900 marks necessary for. the payment Of
the January coupons.
French intrigue, doubtless melted by the
Carnot government, had suddenly placed
the Italian treasury in an awkward pre-
dicament. The Paris bankers With whom
Italian rentes were mortsEsd for loan Of
As, COO, 900 francs demanded immediate
payment.
At about the same time the italian
treasury, although canvassing every fin
ancial centre Of Europe for a projected
rente loan of 900, 600, 600 francs, issued an
order making the payment of coupons In
gold abroad subject to sworn afidavits and
other vexatious formalities evidently de-
signed to delay the delivery OF the coin.
The Berlin syndicate, which had been
in negotiation with the Italian Govern
ment, at once drew back and declined to
make the desired advance. Every
where in Europe the rents loan was rs-
fused, regardless Of terms.
The financial deadlock was assuming
serious political import when the German
government ~ late ~ last Thursdays in
tervened to enable Italy to get enough
from Berlin bankers for the payment Of
the next coupons.
How far the government has guaranteed
its financial support TO Italy Is not known,
but the best informed insnciers here be-
lieve that this advance is merely prelimin
AIRY to an AuAro- German policy which
will give Italy the official support Of both
governments and make possible for her the
negotiation Of the 900, 000, 900 francs loan.
Both in Vienna aud Berlin the govern
ments are believed to approve this course
Of subsidizlna their ally. Such a course
will provoke . storm OF discomfort
throughout tho empire.
II the desires of the foreign Office were
observed the Rome government would ig-
more the demonstration during the visit of
the Russian feet at Toulon, and would
minimize the Significance Of the voyage of
the British fieet in Italian waters between
October II and October 81. King Hum
bert's advisers, however, have chosen the
opposite course. They seem 70 b reckless
about irritating France.
The semi-oficial newspapers arc circu-
lating mendacious reports a. to the Eng
lish squadron at Genoa and Spezzia, recep-
tons and reviews b. the king and crown
prince, and popular demonstrations all
along the coast.
The fact Is that the italian government
was informed officially that only part of
the English Mediterreau squadron would
visit the Italian coast. The vessels
were to pay only q short call Of courtesy at
laramie, the official communication said,
and anything like . great demonstration
must be declined.
The British governments wishes even
that the Italian squadron shall be pre-
vented from joining the British faeet In
Taranto. In the same vein with their
Boosting as to the visit Of the English feet
are the announcements In tho semi official
press of Italy that the mountain artillery
is being reinforced aud concentrated on the
frontier between ventimiglia and Susa;
that men'fn the regiments quartered along
the frontier are no longer allowed to leave
even though their terms Of servics have sx-
pired, and that the Alpine troops are kept
on a quasi war-footing.
1t is asked here: lis this all Italian
bluff or is Italy's financial petition SO
helpless that war, with subsidies from her
allies, is preferred to peace with povertyp
The Coelnischs Zeitung says the
report that the United States govern
ment tried to negotiate q gold loan in
Paris was due to an Offer from Washing
ton to deposit 500, 900, 900 ia three per
cent treasury bonds with Paris bankers,
in exchange for gold to relieve the scarcity
OF that metal In New York.
The Paris bankers assented to this prop
~osit:on. provided hey obtained the right to
sell the bonds at a fixed rate. The nego-
tiations continue, says the Zeitung, but
nothing is heard about them In Berlin.
The st. Petersburg Regieruogsbote
states that tho government with . view to
establishing shortly q gold standard has
accumulated 600, oo0, 900 roubles In gold.
When leading persons have wopnd up to
their satisfaction their paper rouble specu-
lations the operation Of giving Russia a
gold currency will be announced; but that
Is a long way ahead.