kita stuff in various
newspapers. "Il y debvroit avoir," says Montaigne, "quelque corection
des loix contre les escrivains ineptes et inutiles, comme il y a contre
les vagabonds et faineants...." Not long ago I happened to see that this
egregious person described himself as "Hon. Minister Plenipotentiary for
Montenegro," but another gentleman, Sir Roper Parkington, a pompous
wine-merchant, announced in the Press that he had become "Minister
(Hon.) of Montenegro." Perhaps one of them has resigned, and our poor
overworked Foreign Office will not be invited to decide between a
Minister (Hon.) and an Hon. Minister.

THE MURDER OF MILETI['C]

The Italians' stay at Kotor was drawing to an end. "We have no
aggressive intentions," said Signor Scialoja, the Foreign Minister, "and
we shall be glad if we are able to establish with our neighbours on the
other side of the Adriatic those amicable relations"--and so forth and
so forth. This he said on December 21, but if the Government was imbued
with the same principles in August it is unfortunate that it omitted to
instruct the responsible officers in Dalmatia. The Yugoslav commander,
Lieut.-Colonel Risti['c], heard one night that the Italian General at
Dobrota was harbouring at his residence no less than twenty-one
Montenegrin pro-Nikita komitadjis. They were clad in Italian uniforms,
and, as a torpedo-boat and a motor-launch were always kept with steam
up, could be shipped off at a moment's notice to Italy. Colonel
Risti['c] sent his adjutant to make inquiries, and the Italians gave
their word of honour that no Montenegrins were in the house. In order to
avoid a conflict Colonel Risti['c] then requested the French General to
send an officer; but this gentleman was not received by the Italians.
Four or five Montenegrins, with an Italian lieutenant, came out of the
house and fired at the twenty gendarmes who now encircled it. The fire
was returned--all the Montenegrins and the Italian were killed. After
this the French police disarmed the remaining Montenegrins and
imprisoned them; and on the following day, much to his chagrin, the
Italian General was told to take up other quarters at Mula, so that he
was separated by the French and the Yugoslavs from Montenegrin
territory.... Not long after this a certain Captain Mileti['c] was
cycling late one afternoon on the road to Mula. Five or six Italian
soldiers lay concealed, and so expertly did they murder him that his
friends who wer