Page:EB1922 - Volume 32.djvu/805

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TREVELYAN—TRIPOLI
779

Traversing is still about the piyot in the bedplate, and is managed by moving the point of the trail (by means of a small lever) along the broad arc-shaped spade member. The limits of this traverse, viz. with spade bedded, are 11-8 either way from the middle-line. The maximum range with the 9-lb. shell in the direct-fire position high-trunnioned (elevation 38) is 995 yd., but all angles between 34 and 75 may be obtained by transferring the trunnion-bar to the

Loading position

Rear sieht leaf

Shifting lever Loading position

Fiat trajectory fire position

Large traversing Small traversing handspike


Trail spade

low position and proceeding as its high-angle platform fire. Both platform-fire and fire from wheels is possible in the high and low positions alike. In movement, the system is either man-drawn or limbered up to a two-wheeled cart drawn by one horse.

IV. Direct- Fire Trench Ordnance

In spite of the great defensive powers revealed by the machine- gun in trench warfare, certain local-defence needs made themselves felt in that type of warfare which the machine-gun of rifle calibre could not satisfy. In consequence, a variety of trench-guns were designed or adapted for emplacing as "forward" guns, or " infan- try " guns. It cannot be said that this class of trench ordnance possesses any generic characters. A few were specially designed but the majority were field or small naval guns cut down and mounted on low carriages. Captured guns were frequently adapted for this service, when a large enough supply of ammunition and pieces was available, and also hooded quick-firing guns of the 57-mm. class taken from fortress armaments, in which formerly they had figured largely as a standard close-defence armament. Later on, these forward guns were sometimes made mobile again for use as guns of accompaniment. None of these converted types, however, need be dealt with here, and it will suffice to mention more particu- larly the 37-mm. gun (of French origin, but used also by other armies), not so much because it is representative of a class which is too miscellaneous for any member of it to be regarded as such as because it was used on a large scale in the war. It is a direct-fire quick-firing weapon, short in barrel length, mounted on a low- wheeled carriage and provided, as is a field gun, with a shield. It was laid over open sights and fired small, high-explosive shells with percussion fuzes similar to those of the " pompom," which were effective against machine-guns, etc., under light cover. The dimensions and weights of the Russian model of the 37-mm. (which is provided with the recoil-absorbing rubber discs commonly found in Russian designs) are as follows: calibre 37 mm.; weight of the system in action 396 Ib. ; of the gun, breech and lock alone 86 j Ib. ; and of the pointed shell with base-fuze and burster i-l Ib. ; m.v. 1,450 f.s. ; max. range on the sights 3,500 yards.

In their later evolution, many of these miscellaneous trench-guns became anti-tank guns. (C. F. A.)


TREVELYAN, SIR GEORGE OTTO, 2ND BART. (1838- ), English author and statesman (see 27.255), who received Ihe O.M. in 1911, published in 1912 the first volume of his work George III, and Charles Fox, and the second in 1914.

His eldest son, CHARLES PHILIPS TREVELYAN (b. 1870), re- signed his post at the Board of Education in 1914 as a protest against the policy which involved Great Britain in the war. He lost his seat in Parliament at the general election of 1918.

His third son, GEORGE MACAULAY TREVELYAN (b. 1876), was during the World War commandant of the first British ambulance unit on the Italian front, and received in 1915 the Italian silver medal for valour. He published Garibaldi and the Making of Italy (1911); Life of John Bright (1913); Clio, a Muse, and other Essays (1913); Scenes from Italy's War (1919). He married in 1904 Janet Penrose, elder daughter of Mrs. Hum- phry Ward. She published in 1920 A Short History of the Italian People.


TRIPOLI (see 27.288). As the result of the war of 1911-2 between Italy and Turkey, the vilayet of Tripoli, together with that of Bengazi (Cyrenaica), passed from Ottoman to Italian rule. The newly acquired territories were jointly styled Libya Italiana, but Tripolitania and Cyrenaica were organized as distinct entities with separate administrations and governors.

History. The war of 1911-2 (see ITALO-TURKISH WAR) ended without any formal acknowledgment of Italian sovereignty by the Porte. At an early period of the conflict, on Nov. n 1911, when the Italians held little more than the town of Tripoli, a royal decree declared that both vilayets were placed " under the full and complete sovereignty of the kingdom of Italy." This was a political move, confirmed (in Feb. 1912) by the Italian Parliament, taken to make plain Italy's intentions to Germany and Austria, her partners in the Triple Alliance (see AFRICA: History). When, in view of the situation in the Balkans, the Turkish Government opened peace negotiations neither Tripoli nor Cyrenaica had been conquered, and the negotiators came to an unsatisfactory " face-saving " arrangement. By an agree- ment signed at Lausanne on Oct. 15 the Ottoman Government bound itself to issue, within three days, a firman renouncing Turkish sovereignty; the form used made the Sultan declare " I concede to you (the inhabitants of Tripoli and Cyrenaica) full and complete autonomy." But at the same time the Sultan was to nominate not only an official to protect Ottoman interests but a religious chief, while the Sultan's name, as Caliph, was to continue to be pronounced in public prayer by the Moslems.

The formal treaty of peace signed at Lausanne three days later (Oct. 18 1912) made no mention of the Italian annexation, but provided for the evacuation of the vilayets by Turkey. France was the first Power formally to recognize the new position created ; by a declaration signed at Paris on Oct. 28 the two Governments agreed not to put any obstacles in the way of measures which they should judge opportune in Libya and Morocco respectively. This was in fulfilment of a Franco-Italian agreement reached in 1902, an agreement in which Great Britain acquiesced.

In Tripolitania the article of the Treaty of Lausanne requiring the immediate recall of the Turkish troops was carried out. Neshat Pasha and his force of 2,500 regulars embarked for Constantinople, while the garrisons in the interior, largely com- posed of natives (Arabs and Berbers), disbanded, or joined the Turks and Senussites in Cyrenaica. The Italians then took in hand the pacification of the interior. The tribes of the Jefera (coast zone) submitted with little difficulty, but there was stout opposition from the Berbers of the adjacent hill region. Suleiman 'el Baruni, the powerful Berber chief of the Jebel Nefusa, was the principal opponent of the Italians. He had represented Tripoli in the Turkish Parliament, had been created a pasha, was an ardent supporter of the Pan-Islamic movement, and now set up a kingdom in the hills. After having maintained his independ- ence for the greater part of 1913 Suleiman was beaten. He fled to Europe to reappear at a more convenient season. The occupation of the rest of the province by the Italians presented little difficulty. Murzuk, the capital of Fezzan, was entered unopposed on March 3 1914 by a column under Col. Miani. With the occupation of the oasis and town of Ghat by Col. Giannini on Aug. 12 following, every place of importance in the province was garrisoned by the Italians. In these operations, besides battalions from Italy, troops from Eritrea and native partisans (Arab and Berber) were employed.

Meanwhile, as soon as the coast region had been pacified, the Italians set to work with great energy to improve harbours, make roads, build railways, found schools, open hospitals, organize sanitary and police services and encourage agriculture and trade. By the middle of 1915, when the work had to be abandoned temporarily, a good deal had been accomplished. National feeling had been highly gratified by the acquisition of what was looked upon as the " natural heritage " of Italy, and money and men were forthcoming for the task of regeneration. Many Italians were anxious to settle in the country as agri- culturists but this movement the administration wisely dis- couraged. Towards the Arabs and Berbers a policy of trust and confidence was adopted, a policy which might have succeeded but for the situation in Cyrenaica. In that province the Treaty of Lausanne had not brought about peace, and Turkish troops aided