ive up Venetia to Italy. This loss was an
indirect result of the Prusso-Austrian War of 1866, the details of
which we have already mentioned in the recital of the political
development of Germany. Previous to declaring war against Austria,
Prussia had formed an alliance with Italy and at the beginning of
hostilities between Prussia and Austria Italy, too, attacked
Austria. Although the Austrian troops defeated the Italians, Austria
was forced, when peace was concluded, to yield Venetia to Italy
retaining only a small part of its former possessions on the
Adriatic so as not to be cut off entirely from a maritime outlet.
This small remnant of its former Italian possessions, however,
proved to be a thorn in the body politic of the Dual Monarchy. The
inhabitants of this province were preponderately Italian in language
and Italian in feeling and ever since the formation of the kingdom
of Italy a strong propaganda was carried on with the object of
finally accomplishing the redemption of these provinces from
Austrian rule and their unification with Italy.

In spite of the difficulties between Austria on one side and Russia
and Italy respectively on the other it seemed, soon after the
Franco-Prussian war of 1870, as if all these difficulties would be
adjusted in an amicable way. In 1872 the three European Emperors of
Germany, Austria and Russia met and without actually concluding a
treaty arrived at a mutual understanding which promised well for the
future peace of Europe. Five years later in 1877 when Russia went to
war with Turkey the definite result of this mutual understanding was
a treaty concluded between Russia and Austria. As a result of this
treaty Austria agreed not to interfere between Turkey and Russia
whereas Russia promised to Austria Bosnia and Herzegovina, both of
which were at that time under the rule of Turkey. This latter
promise was kept in 1878, when the various Balkan questions that had
become acute through the Turko-Russian War were adjusted at the
Berlin Congress. It is true that at that time Austria was only
permitted to occupy these territories, but even this was a
considerable acquisition.

Four years later another step was taken toward the strengthening of
European peace. In that year the treaty which had been concluded in
1879 between Germany and Italy was extended to include Austria-Hungary
and this alliance of the three Central European Powers, known commonly
as the Triple Alliance, endured not