eka ought to be sufficient, as this was practically one
soldier for every person who had been described as an Italian. But the
I.N.C. had now resolved to take no risks; they entered into negotiations
with Sem Benelli, a well-known poet of the school which some critics
call enlivening and other critics call inflammatory. Anyhow, on the
afternoon of June 13, Mr. Benelli was made a citizen of Rieka, a member
of the central committee and was entrusted with the portfolio of
Minister of War, that is to say Commissary for Defence. He thanked the
I.N.C. in a long speech, and declared that his appointment was the
wedding of Rieka and Italy. Then Dr. Vio proposed a law, respecting the
defence to the uttermost of Italian rights--that an army should be
created and that the expenses should be met by the issue of bonds for a
hundred million lire. The citizen Benelli was asked to undertake the
organization and the command of the army.

ADMIRAL MILLO EXPLAINS THE SITUATION

Farther down the coast and on the islands the Italians seemed, with few
exceptions, to have relinquished every effort to make themselves popular
with the Slavs. Of course one naturally hears more of the cases of
tension than of those where friendliness prevails; but in the towns or
villages where the Slav _intelligentsia_ appreciated that an officer was
doing his best, they were obliged invariably to add that he was doing it
in spite of his men, and that his control of these men was more or less
defective. Numbers of the soldiers, marines and carabinieri may have
been animated, when they landed in Dalmatia, with excellent intentions,
but their months amid an alien population had produced in them too often
a deplorable effect. It must be taken into account that many of them had
an almost insurmountable desire to be demobilized. At Gradi[vs]ca, where
many Slovenes were interned, with fences round them but with no roof
other than the sky, their guards with other soldiers had risen in
revolt. This outbreak was suppressed, certain soldiers--some say sixty,
but the number is doubtful--being shot; and all the others took an oath
that on the first occasion of a deserter being shot at, they would, down
to the last man, leave the barracks. This movement had been growing
since the withdrawal of Bissolati from the Cabinet. As for the young
officers, they had been exhorted, in a communication from Admiral Millo,
the Governor, that they must realize the position they were in. T