Ciano for more than a half hour at the Chigi Palace. Italian and British quarters said that the "international situation" had been discussed during the meeting.
Observers believed it probable that Count Ciano may have asked the British diplomat to explain the reason why Britain ordered her merchan. ships to cease passing through the Mediterranean, Reports from London yesterday, it was recalled, said the British move was the result of recent belligerent Italian statements which brought fears in London that Italy might enter the European war on the side of Germany.
Well-informed Fascist quarters, commenting on the British action, said yesterday that the move was unwarranted and predicted it would complicate relations between Italy and Britain.
Government circles expressed surprise at the British move and some quarters believed it was a direct result of the Italian press campaign which has been recently intensified against Anglo-French power in the Mediterranean.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.