ity to the Italian
coast." As a matter of fact it lies 42 miles from Vis and 33 miles from
the nearest point in Apulia. As a strategic base this group of rocks
would have no value, since the water is too deep for the construction of
a harbour, and the sirocco rages with such ferocity that it flings the
foam over the top of the lighthouse, which is 360 feet in height. This
inhospitable place, with its population of 13 human beings, some sheep
and goats, was inhabited in prehistoric days; when the excavations were
being made for the lighthouse a variety of implements from the Stone Age
were discovered, including a stone arrow that was found between the ribs
of a skeleton.... But the Austrian Ambassador let it be known at the
same time that he would be prepared to make a further friendly
examination of the Italian demands with reference to the other islands.
His Government also on May 15 (Red Book, No. 185, p. 181) announced that
they were quite disposed to reopen the discussion. However, on the 23rd
of the month, Italy came into the War. The Italians had been explaining
that if only Austria would give up these islands--which was as if you
were to invite a person whose designs you suspected to come and camp in
the hall of your house--then, said the Italians, there would be an
excellent prospect of permanently amicable relations between the two
States.

OUR WELCOME TO JEL[vS]A

As soon as the War was over, Italy disembarked on the islands which she
had obtained by the Treaty of London. Something has been said on
previous pages of the way in which she introduced herself and made
herself at home. As we were sailing towards the pretty town of Jel[vs]a
(Gelsa) on the island of Hvar, we left Vrbo[vs]ka on our right. The
Bishop of Split had told me of a grievance which the Italian troops at
that place had lodged with his brother, the mayor. Some of them had
visited, for the fetes of carnival, both the Yugoslav Club, where they
found many persons who could speak Italian, and the Italian Club, where
they were annoyed to find that it was spoken by very few. As we came
into the little port of Jel[vs]a, with the green shutters of its white
houses harmonizing with the foliage of the cypresses and oleanders, we
could see a crowd of people running round--and carabinieri running with
them--to that part of the harbour where we were unexpectedly going to
stop. There was some confusion, the carabinieri pushing the people back,
evidently