A French warship
arrived on the 10th, followed by a British vessel on the 12th or 13th.
Perfect calm prevailed. Croatian and Italian flags flew everywhere, as
well as French ones, British and American. The name of the Hotel Deak
was altered to Hotel Wilson.... But the men of the _Emanuele Filiberto_
and the _Stocco_ did not land. Colonel Tesli['c] assured the Admiral
that if anyone started to set fire to an Italianist child or to indulge
in any other crime he would prevent it.

PAROLE D'HONNEUR

All this was very disconcerting to the I.N.C. They knew that on the
hills outside Rieka were large numbers of Italian troops, which had come
overland from Istria. But how to get them in? Rieka had not been
ascribed to the Italians by the London Treaty.[16] ... On November 15 a
detachment of Serbian troops arrived, under Colonel Maximovi['c], and
were given a magnificent reception. Thousands of people accompanied
them, and in front of the French destroyer there was a manifestation.
Some of the Serbs, old warriors who had been under arms since the first
Balkan War, were moved to tears. The Italianists were furious; Admiral
Raineri called on the Governor for an explanation of the Serbs' arrival.
A conference was held between the Admiral, the Colonel and two Yugoslav
officers. If the Serbs remained at Rieka, said the Admiral, he would
land his marines. Maximovi['c] said he had come in obedience to his
orders, and that he would have to prevent by force the disembarkation of
the Italians. At this moment a Serbian officer entered to announce that
Italian armoured cars were approaching from Abbazia. Maximovi['c]
immediately ordered his troops to mobilize, but the Admiral said a
mistake had been made and that the cars would be sent back. (The
Government Secretary, Dr. Ru[vz]i['c], had been told at three o'clock by
a telephone operator that the Admiral had himself telephoned to Abbazia
for the cars.) It was decided at this conference that on Sunday,
November 17, the Yugoslav troops would evacuate the town, that it would
be occupied by Serbian and American troops, and that, to mark the
alliance, a small Italian detachment would be landed. As Admiral Cagni,
of Pola, ordered that Italian troops should be disembarked at Rieka,
another conference was held between Admiral Raineri, Colonel
Maximovi['c], Colonel Tesli['c] and Captain Dvorski (of the Yugoslav
navy), as well as French and British officers. It was arranged _sous
parole d'honneu