ene of important
operations, so I contented myself by ascertaining at second hand how
matters stand between the Valtellina and the Chiese.

"I have had the honor of a private audience with his Majesty the King
of Italy, and have seen and talked to nearly all the leading soldiers.
Nothing could exceed the kindness with which I have been received, and
my grateful thanks are due especially to Colonels Count Barbarich and
Claricetti, who were placed at my disposal by General Cadorna and
accompanied me during my tour.

"It is necessary for those who wish to have a clear understanding of
Italy's share in the war to look back and realize the situation of our
Italian friends when, at the most critical moment for the cause, they
threw the weight of their sword into the scales.

"Italy, like England, had lost the habit of considering policy in
military terms. Home politics ruled all decisions. The army had been
much neglected, and the campaign in Libya had left the war material at
a very low ebb. United Italy had not yet fought a great modern
campaign, and neither the army nor the navy possessed in the same
measure as other powers those great traditions which are the outcome
of many recent hard-fought wars. Italy was without our coal and our
great metallurgic industries. She did not possess the accumulation of
resources which we were able to turn to warlike uses; nor could she
find in her oversea possessions, as we did, the strength and vitality
of self-governing younger people of her own race. The old Sardinian
army had given in the past fine proofs of valor, but it was not known
how the southern Italians would fight, and it was at first uncertain
whether the whole country would throw itself heart and soul into the
war.

"These impediments to rapid decisions and the extreme difficulty of
breaking with an old alliance explain the apparent hesitation of Italy
to enter the war.

[Illustration: Gorizia.]

"On the other hand, there were compensations. The heart of Italy was
always with the Allies, and the hatred of Austria was very deep. There
was every hope that the long-prevailing system of amalgamating the
various races of Italy in the common army would at last bear fruit,
and that this amalgamation, combined with the moral and material
progress of Italy in recent years, and the pride of the country in its
past history, would enable Italy to play an honorable and notable
part in the war by land and sea, and to wrest from h