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The Albanian Forests of Signor Giacomo Vismara: A Case Study of Italian Economic Imperialism During the Foreign Ministry of Antonino di San Giuliano

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 February 2009

R. J. B. Bosworth
R. J. B. Bosworth
Affiliation:
University of Sydney
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Extract

In Second Class, there was only my valet and two Italians on their way to Valona to buy from a Greek a wood, which, as far as they knew, did not belong to him. A frequent matter in the East

So sardonically wrote in his diary a second-rank Italian politician, the only passenger in first class, voyaging in 1902 across the Adriatic to Albania. The politician was Antonino di San Giuliano. His diary had a purpose, as it was destined to be published in Giornale d'Italia, Rome's new conservative daily. This paper had been founded only a year before by Alberto Bergamini and Sidney Sonnino in an effort to regroup those anti-Giolittian politicians scattered by the failure of the second, authoritarian, Pelloux ministry.

Type
Articles
Information
The Historical Journal , Volume 18 , Issue 3 , September 1975 , pp. 571 - 586
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

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References

1 Giuliano, A. Di San, Lettere sull’ Albania, Rome, 1903, pp. 13–14.Google Scholar

2 Castronovo, V., La Stampa italiana dall’ unit´ al fascismo, Bari, 1970, pp. 170–1.Google Scholar

3 Archivio Centrale dello Stato Rome (hereafter A.C.S.) Carte Martini 13, 24 Dec. 1899, San Giuliano to Martin.

4 Cataluccio, F., ‘La formazione culturale e politica di A. Di San Giuliano’, Nuova Antologia 507, 1969, p. 309.Google Scholar

5 Bollettino delta Societá Geografica Italiana, Series IV, Vol. VII, no. 6. San Giuliano speech as President of the Geographical Society, 1 May 1906.

6 E.g. see Malgeri, F., La Guerra Libica 1911–1912, Rome, 1970, pp. 17–19.Google Scholar

7 Posner, M. V. and Woolf, S. J., Italian public enterprise, London, 1967, pp. 19–20.Google Scholar

8 Archivio Storico, Ministero degli Affari Esteri, Rome (hereafter A.S.M.A.E.). Archivio di Gabinetto 1910–14 2/14 16 Nov. 1910, San Giuliano memorandum.

9 A.C.S. Presidenza del consiglio, gabinetto, atti, 1910–14 15/2 23 Apr. 1911 San Giuliano to Giolitti.

10 A.S.M.A.E. Archivio di gabinetto 1910–14 15/94 bis, 4 Apr. 1913 [San Giuliano] to Giolitti.

11 A.S.M.A.E. files Politica 675/844 12 July 1913, San Guiliano to the Consuls in Scutari, Durazzo and Valona.

12 Ibid. 3 Aug. 1913 Primo Levi memorandum.

13 A.S.M.A.E. Archivio de gabinetto 19/117 bis [De Martino] pro-memoir 30 Apr. 1914. San Giuliano's Ministry, on the other hand, had little time for the heirs of Crispi's irredentist pro-Albanian groups, which had been founded by those of Albanian descent living in Italy. See Skendi, S., The Albanian National Awakening 1878–1912, Princeton, 1969, pp. 215–37.Google Scholar

14 A.C.S. Presidenza del consiglio, gabinetto, atti, 9/2 9 May 1913 San Giuliano to Giolitti.

15 Scalabrini was the brother of Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, bishop of Piacenza, founder of the Scalabrini brothers, an Italian missionary organization which had the slogan ‘religione e patria’. See Ganapini, L., Il nazionalismo cattolico, Bari, 1970, pp. 56–9.Google Scholar

16 As San Giuliano termed it - A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 675/844 5 Nov. 1913 San Giuliano to Joel as President of the Società Commerciale d'Oriente. Joel was also director of the Banca Commerciale Italians.

17 Trade figures in 1910 should not have increased San Giuliano's confidence too much. Austria had a long and scarcely decreasing lead over Italy: e.g. ibid. 13 June 1911 Labia (Durazzo) to San Giuliano reported the following figures for Albania.

18 A.S.M.A.E. Archivio di gabinetto 15/94 bis 4 Apr. 1913. The area lay in Northern Albania some 50 km. inland from the port of San Giovanni di Medua.

19 De Martino was another Neapolitan politician, ex-under-secretary of State for foreign affairs and uncle to the secretary-general of San Giuliano's ministry.

20 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 19 May 1909 Emilio Noè to Vismara.

21 Ibid. 14 Nov. 1909 C. Morani to Guicciardini; 2 May 1910 copy of Vismara's precontract. Bib Doda had long been a fractiously independent leader of the Mirditi. See Skendi, S., op. cit. pp. 99–100.Google Scholar

23 Ibid. 3 May 1910 Mayor des Planches to San Giuliano.

23 Ibid. 4 May 1910 Mancinelli Scotti to San Giuliano; 4 June 1910 Mayor des Planches to San Giuliano.

24 Ibid. 6 June 1910 Semmola to San Giuliano.

25 Ibid. 15 June 1910 San Giuliano to Mancinelli Scotti; 13 June 1910 Mayor des Planches to San Giuliano.

26 Ibid. 27 June 1910 Mayor des Planches to San Giuliano.

27 Ibid. 28 July 1910 Mayor des Planches to San Giuliano.

28 Ibid. 16 Aug. 1910 Mayor des Planches to San Giuliano.

29 In the intervento crisis Joel unfairly would be accused of being a German puppet. See Vigezzi, B., ‘Otto Joel, il principe di Bulow e i problemi della neutralità italiana’ in Da Giolitti a Salandra, Florence, 1969.Google Scholar

30 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 24 Aug. 1910 Vismara to San Giuliano.

31 Ibid. 4 Sept. 1910 San Giuliano to Panizzardi; 2 Sept. 1910 Mayor des Planches to San Giuliano.

32 Ibid. 12 Sept. 1910 Fasciotti to Joel.

33 Ibid. 13 Oct. 1910 copy of the statement by Bedri Pasha, Vali of Scutari to Bib Doda.

34 Ibid. 28 Oct. 1910 San Giuliano to Luzzatti.

35 Ibid. 29 Oct. 1910 Mayor des Planches to San Giuliano. 200,000 lire at the then rate of exchange was about £8000 stg.

36 Ibid. 4 Nov. 1910 San Giuliano to Mayor des Planches; 7 Nov. 1910. Mancinelli Scotti to San Giuliano.

37 Ibid. 24 Dec. 1910 San Giuliano to Luzzatti.

38 Ibid. 12 Jan. 1911 San Giuliano to Luzzatti.

39 Ibid. 22 Feb. 1911 Mayor des Planches to San Giuliano; 23 Feb. 1911 San Giuliano to Luzzatti.

40 Ibid. 14 Apr. 1911 Mayor des Planches to San Giuliano; 10 Apr. 1911 Avarna to San Giuliano.

41 Ibid. 19 Aug. 1911 De Martino to San Giuliano.

42 Ibid. 26 Sept. 1911 Stringer to San Giuliano; 22 Sept. 1911, Vismara to San Giuliano.

43 Ibid. 23 Dec. 1911 Pellizzari to San Giuliano; A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 674/844 6 Jan. 1912 Labia to San Giuliano.

44 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 Feb. 1912 Vismara to San Giuliano. (He did now get 100,000 lire. See 2 Dec. 1914 Albania Office pro-memoria.)

45 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 674/844 22 Feb. 1912 Labia to San Giuliano.

46 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 1 Mar. 1912 De Martino pro-memoria; A.C.S. Presidenza del consiglio, gabinetto, atti 13/1 1 Mar. 1912 San Giuliano to Giolitti, 6 Mar. 1912 Giolitti to San Giuliano.

47 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 J3 Apr. 1912 San Giuliano to Giolitti, 17 Apr. 1912 San Giuliano to Giolitti. In 1911 Tedesco had twice detailed to Giolitti his financial objects to Italian commercial imperialism given ‘the actual economic conditions of Italy’ Archivio di gabinetto 11 May 1911 and 3 June 1911 both Tedesco to Giolitti.

48 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 16 July 1912 Panizzardi to San Giuliano (also in A.C.S. Presidenza del consiglio, gabinetto, atti 13/1). San Giuliano also asked that Bib Doda not come to Rome as ‘for political reasons’ San Giuliano did not want to see him.

49 Giolitti approved and Facta, the minister of finance, acted as agent. Tedesco was side-stepped. A.C.S. Presidenza del consiglio, gabinetto, atti 13/1 23 July 1912 San Giuliano to Facta.

50 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 23 July 1912 Panizzardi to San Giuliano; 25 July 1912 San Giuliano to Panizzardi (also in A.C.S. Carte Giolitti 17/40).

51 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 1 Aug. 1912 Panizzardi to San Giuliano. The motivation behind this sudden signature appears to have been another Bib Doda visit to Vienna, but Ambassador Avama reported that Bib Doda had only seen a minor official there and had spoken neither with Berchtold nor Macchio. A.C.S. Presidenza del consiglio, gabinetto, atti 13/1 22 July 1912 Avarna to San Giuliano.

52 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 676/844 4 Dec. 1912. Squitti to San Giuliano. On 16 Dec. Squitti added his own impression that ‘this personage’ was trying to profit from any situation for his own private interests.

53 Ibid. 25 Dec. 1912 Dolfini to San Giuliano; 26 Dec. 1912 San Giuliano to Dolfini.

54 A.C.S. Presidenza del consiglio, gabinetto, atti, 5 June 1913 [De Martino] memorandum.

55 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 3 Sept. 1913 Vismara to San Giuliano.

56 See Galli, C., Diarii e Lettere, Florence, 1951 notably pp. 46; 161; 167–8.Google Scholar

57 A.S.M.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 25 Sept. 1913 Galli to San Giuliano. San Giuliano had successfully appealed to Giolitti for an extension of secret funds, made available for the Libyan war, to cover Albanian expenses. See A.C.S. Carte Giolitti 19/45 6 Apr. 1913 San Giuliano to Giolitti. Presidenza del consiglio, gabinetto, atti 9/2 13 May 1913 Giolitti to San Giuliano; 11 Oct. 1913 San Giuliano to Giolitti reported that he had 60,153.58 lire left our of ah Albanian grant of 250,000. He asked for an immediate renewal of his 250,000 and an appeal to Tedesco for an increase to 400,000. Bib Doda was getting an annual subvention of 12,000 lire; and Vismara had been given 9,000 lire recently for ‘expenses’. In Carte Salandra 8/63 there is a further summary by De Martino in Mar. 1913 of the Foreign Ministry's Albanian and other secret expenses.

58 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 2 Oct. 1913 San Giuliano to Ministry of War and to Ministry of the Navy; 2 Oct. 1913 Galli to San Giuliano.

59 Ibid. 7 Oct. 1913 Stringher to San Giuliano; 13 Oct. 1913 San Giuliano to Stringher. In another letter 9 Oct. 1913 San Giuliano to Stringher, San Giuliano oddly pointed out that if Austria was going to be involved locally then it would be best for Italy if France was too. San Giuliano said that obviously he could not do anything about it, but could Stringher use his international contacts? There is no sign either that the Austrians had any firm agreement with Primo Dochi, or that Stringher acted on San Giuliano's above request.

60 Ibid. 25 Oct. 1913, Vismara to San Giuliano.

61 Ibid. 9 Nov. 1913 Galli to San Giuliano 29 Nov. 1913. Stringher to San Giuliano.

62 Ibid. 18 Dec. 1913 [San Giuliano] memorandum - Vismara had also appealed unsuccessfully for British capital 6 Jan. 1914 Imperial! to San Giuliano.

63 Ibid. 5 Feb. 1914 Galli to San Giuliano.

64 A.C.S. Presidenza del consiglio, gabinetto, atti 27 Feb. 1914 San Giuliano to Giolitti, 11 Mar. 1914 Stringher to San Giuliano; 11 Apr. 1914 Stringher to San Giuliano. The Italians no doubt were anxious to keep talking to Primo Dochi, who previously had been regarded as an Austrian agent. See Skendi, S., op. cit. pp. 170–3, 275–6.Google Scholar

65 See Caracciolo, A., ‘La grande industria nella prima guerra mondiale’ in La formazione dell'ltalia industricle, Bari, 1970, p. 166.Google Scholar

66 Sonnino, S., Diario, 1914–16, II, Bari, 1972, 3–4.Google Scholar

67 A.C.S. Carte Salandra 8/63 23 Mar. 1914 San Giuliano to Salandra; also in A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 undated copy.

68 A.C.S. Carte Salandra 8/63, 28 Mar. 1914 San Giuliano to Salandra, 11 Apr. 1914 Stringher to San Giuliano (also in A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29).

69 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29 9 May 1914 Vismara to Scalabrini.

70 Ibid. 11 May 1914 Stringher to San Giuliano and minutes by De Martino.

71 See draft in A.S.M.A.E. Archivo di gabinetto 19/117 26 May 1914.

72 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 675/844 28 May 1914 San Giuliano to Cavasola (Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce).

73 Ibid. 678 bis/29 2 Dec. 1914 Albania Office pro-memoria.

74 Ibid. 23 July 1914 Aliotti to San Giuliano.

75 Ibid. 1 Aug. 1914 Stringher to San Giuliano; 7 Aug. 1914 San Giuliano to Stringher; [25 Aug. 1914] De Martino memorandum.

96 Ibid. 6 Sept. 1914 Bianchi to San Giuliano.

77 A.C.S. Presidenza del consiglio, gabinetto, atti, 13/1 20 Oct. 1914 Vismara to Salandra, also 29 Oct. 1914 unsigned report noting again Vismara's need for more money and his threat to sell out to the Austrians if not paid.

78 A.S.M.A.E. file Politica 678 bis/29, 2 Dec. 1914 Albania Office pro-memoria.

79 Ibid. 7 Dec. 1914 Manzoni memorandum.

80 A.C.S. Presidenza del consiglio, gabinetto, atti 15/21 16 Dec. 1920 Stringher to Giolitti; 29 Jan. 1921 Di Saluzzo to Vismara; 31 Jan. 1921 Vismara to Sforza; Reale Awocatura Erariale Generate to Schanzer. Bib Doda too had re-appeared in 1918 as leader of the Italian faction in Scutari, rival to the French. See Documenti Diplomatici Italiani 6th series. Vol. I, nos. 492, 536.

* The completion of this article was helped by a research grant from the Australian Academy of Humanities.