UNOFFICIAL REPORTS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8208, 4 August 1915, Page 5

UNOFFICIAL REPORTS.

POSSIBILITIES OF THE ITALIAN ADVANCE. . MILAJD August 3. : The Italian artillery "has rapidly : advanced- and successfully: coniim'iiced an'attack ori the" second-Austrian line from Rubbia to Pretrarossa. The extraordinary daily captures of Austrian officers is due to the demoralisation 6f the men, who become pajric-stricke© by the terrific artillery, and abandon ■ their officers, enabling the Italian in|fantry to make forward' dashes-and effect tho captures. The Italian advance, forming a wedge between .Gorizia and Tolmino, is causing concern by rendering the railway useless to the Austrians.

LONDON, August 3. The Rome correspondent of the "D.aily Chronicle" says the. fall of either the Tarvis fortifications or -those |of Tolmino and Gorizia will result in I the whole Austrian defence from Carjnia to the Adriatic collapsing. If Gorizia; falls the Austrians must wheel eastward, with their right wing under cover of the Tarvis forts, and make stands on the Idria River " and the Save River. If Tarvis falls, they must • retreat to the Drave in order to block ; the Vienna Road, while the .Austrians operating on the middle and lower , Isonzo will be in danger of being surrounded. , The Lombard Alpini, who conquered the spurs of Mount Piccolo, have turned the enemy out "neck a-nd crop" " from vast outworks on the" Austrian left wing at Malborghetto. The : Italians feinted with a forward movement /tb.Russnitz. Austrians immediately sent reinforcements there. Italian big guns opened a furious bombardment, ploughing up the trenches at Foreella and Dicianalot, while long range. artillery prevented roinrprct'ments returning. Alpini then seized 4000 feet of Mounto Grauuda. and m » - fierce -fron-tal attack captured Forcella . and Divianalot. . They c-aptnrwl 107 men and bayonetted the resb. y