The herald., 1896-03-14
italians Open Negotiations With
King MeneIik
PEACE WILL BE CONCLUDED
Blank Despair Has Given Place to Great
Hope
The Peace Of Europe to BE Preserved-Eng.
land VIII Lend Her Support to
the Dreibund

Associated Press Special Wire.
ROME, March 13.-Out of the storm of
popular anger which swept over Italy
when the news Of the defeat of the army
under Gen. Baratieri reached here, little
remains but a feeling of resentment
against the Italian commander. All riot
ing has ceased. The reservists, who fed
from the country sooner than go to Africa
at the call of the government for the class
of 1872, are returning and it is not be-
lieved any steps will be taken to punish
them. Negotiations with King Menelik
have been opened. 1t is anticipated that
peace will be concluded before long and
the war office has countermanded the in
structions sent to various points for the
hurrying forward of reinforcements to
Africa. The new cabinet is settling down
to work and the financial situation is
brighter than anticipated. Under these
circumstances Italy breathes freer than for
some time past and there is feeling of
gratitude for those who have aided in Ber-
lin during the past few days, in bringing
about the change from blank despair to
great hope in the future.
The conferences which have taken place
here recently between the Marquis di Ru.
dini, the neW premier, and the duke of
Sermopeta, their audiences with King
Humbert and the constant exchange of
telegraphic messages between this city and
the German capital have been coincident
with the meetings in Berlin of the Austrian
minister for foreign affairs, Count Golu-
chowski, the German foreign minister,
Baron Marschal Won Bieberstein, the Ital-
ian ambassador to Germany, Count LAMA
di Busca, and the imperial chancellor.
Prince Hohenlohe, supplemented by au-
diences with Emperor William.
Out of all these exchanges of views, it is
believed, has grown much healthier state
of affairs for all Europe. The German
emperor is understood to be somewhat if
not entirely weaned from his longings for
closer relations with Russia, and possible
alliance of the three emperors and
the attitude of Germany toward
Great Britain. it is anticipated, will under
the fact, according to report. that Great
Britain. when the situation was outlined to
her from Berlin, before the arrival there of
Count Goluchowski, promised loyal sup
port for the Italians in the emergency and
took steps to order an advance up the Nile
from Wady Halfa towards Dongola OF a
strong column of British-Egyptian troops
to act as n diversion and prevent the con-
centraiion of the natives for joint attack
upon the Italians. An Italian loan, it is
further stated, has been fioated in London,
and the half-pledged support of Great
Britain to the dreibund, support hitherto
involving little else than an irritating
uncertainty. is rumored to have devel-
oped into a much more cordial and solid
understanding with the powers form
ing the dreibund. Both Emperor Francis
Joseph and Emperor William are praised
for this result, as it is known that they
have striven night and day since the storm
olxo to a at hpra. WI at
one time was severe enough to threaten
the foundations of the throne. In fact,
now that the crisis is over. it is admitted
that King Humbert at one time was face
to face with the possibility of outbreaks
serious enough to develop into almost any,
thing. This condition of affairs, of course,
was greatly to the advantage of the Soci-
alists, who protited by it to obtain conces-
sions which they could not otherwise have
commanded.
To cap the peaceful climax comes the
pleasant report that Emperor William of
triA and King Humbert will meet at Genoa
in q few days and that a series of brilliant
fetes will mark this public proof of the re-
newal of ties which compose the dreibund,
which Is intended to demonstrate to all
whom it may concern that Italy, instead of
being friendless. upon the verge of bank
ruptcy and incumbered by a tottering
Germany and Austria and will be backed
by Great Britain in any great emergency.
That the latter report is true is no longer
doubted and it is added that the British
naval squadron will be ordered to Genoa
on the occasion of the visit of the emperors
and King Humbert, in order openly to
demonstrate Great Britain's sympathy with
Italy and the drelbund. Finally it is said
that before the emperors' meeting at
Genoa, Emperor Francis Joseph will have
succeeded in entirely reconciling Queen
Victoria with her imperial grandson, and
SO the pence OF Europe. it is hoped, will
be further cemented ana the probability of
European war will be driven further and
further into the background.
Orders have been sent from the war Of
fee to Massowah that the report of Cen
erals Baldissera and Baratieri on the de-
feat of the Italians at Adowa is to be sup
plemented by the forwarding to this city of
number of important witnesses to the en-
gaRement. 1t was at first proposed to
court martial General Baratieri at Mas
sowah, in fact, that plan has not been en-
tirely abandoned, but there were so many
utterances OF disapproval in the press
when the plan was outlined that it ia un-
derstood that General Rcott has decided
to have the unfortunate officer tried in
public in this city.
Every fresh advice from Africa only
tends to confirm the most alarming re.
ports as 10 the extent OF the disaster at
Adowa, and although the official figures
have not yet been made public it is ad-
mitted that over $4,000 men were killed,
wounded or made prisoners. 1t is believed
that the loss of the Abyssinians was al
most as great. The Abyssnians captured
almost all the Italian artillery, ammuni-
tion and supplies. General Baratieri, how
ever, repeats that the disaster, though un-
avcidable under the circumstances, was
not due to any desire to strike big blow
before the arrival from Italy of his sue
cessor, General Baldissera. He claims
that the plan of battle was carefully
mapped out between himself and his gem
erals, that all the latter approved it, and
that it would have succeeded had it not
been for the fact that the native troops
under the Italian flag became panic
stricken and SO brought about the complete
defeat of the Italian forces.
There is no truth i'll the sensational re-
ports circulated by news agency in the
United States of fresh and additional Ital-
ian reverses in Africa Considerable indg-
nation is manifested at the war office here
in regard to it.
THE OLD BLACK CAT STORY
VIENNA, March 13.-An investigation in
to the report circulated by the news agency
in the United States that the "entire Ital-