The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-01
ITALY TAKES rR1poL1.

3 5'"he' oot VIII PioHdpiS ne haru u
Z hold. The whole world has beer
shocked by the swiftncss OF the blow
4 Nobody dreamed of such a thing, anc
the Italians themselves are rubbing
thelr eyes at the suddenness with
which the Royal Government has gon,
to war 1t was not like Italy. Germany
, ii is said, regards the event with great
distress. les, IT lead TO the general
armament OF all Europe on u war foot
ing Germany, which has not yet ad-
justed its differences with France down
IN the same general grand division OF
the world, and tho timid arc nervous,
very. about where the distur bance will
lead.
Exactly why Italy should have taken
so precipitous a step has not yet been
made entirely clear; but the excuse is,
so far as any excuse or eXplana ton
has been made, that Italian subjects
and Italian interests in the disturbed
region had been grossly disregnrded
by the Turks. and that for their pro-
lection military demonstration in
force was absolutely necessary. The
true reason for the present lnov ement,
doubtless, is the acquisition OF terri
tory required for the safety OF Italian
interests in Africa and for the coloni-
cation OF the crowding populat ton OF
the Italian Kingdom Whatever the
rasus belli. the fact is. Italy has taken
Tripoli, which is the Capital of the
Turkish vilayet of the Same name. 1t
has q population OF about thirty thous-
and souls of one sort and another. the
Oriental predominating. The State or
district or vilayet covers an area OF
about 100000 square miles, is bounded
by the Lioyau DeHert on the east. By
Tunis on tho west and By the Desert
of sahara on the south. 1t has some
mountains that are 1900 feet high, no
permanent rivers. little produc tive
land, sand storms from the great dcs-
ert. hot summers and cold winters
and u poor people The products
of. the country are ascant and consist
largely, so far as they consist at ALL
OF the yield of the badly cultivatd
fields, the cattle and sheep that are
bred by few stock raiscrs, and dates.
oranges and lemons. the vnayet itself
being the most conspicuous of the
lemon variety. q considerable caravan
trade is carried on between tho place
The Italians have captured and the
Central Soudan, when the routes are
tree from raiders and the important
staple OF the caravan trade is said to
be ostrich feathers brought from Cen
tral Africa for export 10 Paris and
London. The ANNUAL value of the com
mere of Tho por;.ss, III the ncishbor-
hood of si.eeQ.oQO the year.
What Italy should want with a coun-
Try Ike thai no ordinary business man
can understand. except as means to
an cad, and that end in this case being
fair participation i'll the distribution
of the territory in that general part
of lie world. "Modern history" we arc
advised BY Tho World. may be
searched in vain for such an amazing
declaration OF war, 50 unprovoted and
80 wanton." What Will como out of H.
no one can tell If II shall plunge ali
Europe into war 1t would be awful;
IL II shall only weaken the power OF
the turk. that would be a result which
would be grateful to humanity.
so far. Italy has all the better of tn,
siiu1tion-that is to say. Italy has
taken Tripoli; but the back country has
not vet been heard from, and the Turks
appear not to nave made W. their minds
as TO what they will do about it, except
that they are looking at Greece. Italy
has more ships and mors soldiers
10000 on d peace footlns--while it Is
not thought that Turkey could at tn,
outside put more than 800 600 in IN,
field Italy could put a force OF some
thing like a million men under arms
The Turks. however, have Away.
proved TO be desperate fighters, and
man for man, would be more than +;
match FOR the Italians Italy has {
population OF 3;.56s,000. annual receipt:
of about 100000 English pounds
"ito Il 4tpl VI -uiDVusOvU POUNDS
Turkey, including Egypt. has popu
lation of 55,tl4,oOo annual revenues o
100000 English pounds. and a publ
debt of 100000 pounds Both coun
tries spend more than they make. Ac
cording to the statesman's Year Bool
for 1911, every money lender regard
ltaIy's national existence as secure,
While every money lender feels un
certain how long Turkeys national *
istence viii last"
1t is most interesting situate
that italy has caused by her unexpect
ed action. 1t has been proposed thu
President Taft should prefer the goo
ilces OF the United States as umpir,
! and that would be making the arbitro
tion policy worth while. we never ex