main purpose specified, he says nothing in his reply about Tripoli, and contents himself with the following guarded indication of his views:
If owing to some calamitous events it becomes impossible to maintain the status quo, both Powers desire that there shall be no extension of the domination of any other great Power over any portions of these coasts.
Nevertheless, on the strength of this exchange of Notes [the Notes were formally adhered to a month later by Austria-Hungary in an exchange of Notes between Count Karolyi and Lord Salisbury] Italy succeeded in getting her partners to give an extension and a new significance to the Triple Alliance quite at variance with its original character. The renewal took place on February 20, 1887. A separate agreement with Austria attached to the Treaty provided that if either Italy or Austria were compelled to modify the status quo by a temporary or permanent occupation of territory in any of the regions affected by the Treaty, they would come to a preliminary and mutual agreement "based upon reciprocal compensation." By a separate agreement with Germany, likewise attached to the Treaty, it was provided that if France should occupy Tripoli or Morocco, and if as a result of such action Italy should feel it necessary "in order to safeguard her position in the Mediterranean" to herself take action in those territories, or even in French territory, and should war result, Germany bound herself to support Italy in arms. [Article IX.]
Then Italian statesmen turned to Spain, and in an exchange of Notes on May 4 (1887) Spain undertook not to conclude with France any political arrangement affecting North Africa "aimed directly or indirectly against Italy, Germany, Austro-Hungary, or one or other of them." This agreement was renewed in May, 1891.
In the years which followed, the weathercock of Italian policy veered round more and more to the French side. Indeed, as far back as 1890, the year before the second renewal of the Triple Alliance, Crispi was apparently willing to change camps … for a consideration. Writing to the Italian Ambassador in Paris on September 2, he says:
