NOTES ON THE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17206, 28 June 1916, Page 6

NOTES ON THE WAR.

Tho Italian communique published yesterday morning iu brief, reporting that tho Austrians wore falling back in the Adige valley and on tho plateau of the Sctte Comuni, gave quite a reasonable statement of tbo development that came on tho northern front. It stated simply that the Italians were recapturing positions that had been lost. A version of this communique telegraphed by tiro Higli Commissioner seems to have raised very extravagant hopes, for it reported a “ great Italian victory,” and declared that the Austrians had been out of all the conquered positions. Whatever developments may bo reported later, it is certain that the details at, present to hand do not warrant the High Commissioner’s very sweeping telegram. Tho position in tho Posina valley and on tho Asiago plateau lias been developing steadily during the past week in a series of positional actions, gradually taking tho cliaracter of a. general Italian offensive The success at the head of the Posina valley threatened to cut, and probably did cut, the direct lirqe of communication between the Austrians in tho Posina valley and on the Arsioro sector with those in tho Vallarsa region- Between the Vallarsa, which is the easteru district of the southern Trentino, and tho Posina valley tliero is a big mountain fold with tho peaks of Pasubio and Col Santo, but flanking tho Col Santo there is a road leading over the mountains from tho Posina valley to tho Piazza valley A bold Italian movement from the Col Santo closed this pass, and if the Italians are not already in possession of Piazza they must be close to it.

If this is the correct statement of tho initial operation it supplies tho key to the later developments. Piazza is only three miles north of tho Col Santo, and it is nearly seven miles north of Raossi, in the Vallarsa. Providing the capture of the pass could be followed by the Italian occupation of all the Posina vnlloy, tho Austrians would be threatened with a very formidable flank attack iu the southern TYenti.no, for Piazza is almost due oast of Roveredo. The immediate threat of tho Italians was a decent into the Vallarsa from the flanks of Monto Pasubio and the Col Santo, which, as already explained, riso east of the valley. Therefore there was nothing for it but an immediate Austrian retreat from tliis valley, where tho enemy’s advanced guard had apparently reached tho village of Raossi. In retreating they burned tho village of S. Anna, a milo north of Raossi. !md in all probability they have rectified their front by falling back to Valmorbia, which is due oast of Serravalle, on the Adige.

East of Monte Pasubio the position is not so simple from the Italian point of view. The closing of tho pass throws tho Austrians in the Posina valley back into tho Astico valley for their line of retreat, and no doubt the Italians have been making heroic efforts to close the lower end of the Posina valley at Arsiero. The line of retreat from the Astico valley is open, and similarly tho Austrians in the Val d’Assa—tho Assa being a left-hand tributary of the Astico—hatve a safe and easy retreat by a road east of Monte Vcrena. East of tlie Val d’Assa the Italian offensive seems now to be progressing rapidly, but the nature of the country is wholly in favour of the defence. Tho Italian front runs north-east from Arsiero to Asiago, Gallio and Monte Lougara, and then turns almost abruptly north to tho frontier, and the peculiarity, or irregularity, of tho position may ho judged when it is stated that the Cima della Caldiera, which is mentioned in to-day’s messages as having been captured* by the Italians, is ten or eleven miles virtually due north of Asiago. It would appear that the Italians have been working west from tho Brenta, and only tho broken and mountainous nature of tbo country renders tho present position possible. Tlie Austrian lino cannot be a stable one even in the mountains, and sooner or later, unless it i? strongly supported by the arrival of reserves, it- must be contracted and straightened.

Reference was made in earlier notes on tho Asiago plateau to a road which runs north from Asiago to the frontier. After leaving Asiago its direction is north-east for a few miles, through the viilagq of Gallio, which is a couple of miles from Asiago, and past Monte Longara, a milo and a half further on. From Monto Longara its direction is due north, allowing for deviations rendered necessary by the orade. Two miles cast of Longara is Monte Meletta, at the bead of the Ercnzela valley- These are all positions mentioned in tlio current communiques. Five or six miles north of Monte Longara is tho Marccsina inn, where the Italians carried an Austrian position a few days ago, aaid further on, at tho limit of the formed

road, is the Mnlga Fossetta. Right on the frontier, a couple of miles northwest of the Malga Fossetta A is the Cima della Caldiera, where the Italians have won a further success. In the uature of things tho fighting in the mountains cannot be on any considerable scale, but tlioso minor positional actions havo a very important bearing on the genera! situation, since on their issno depends the safety of the Austrian lines of communication and consequently tho ability of the enemy to reinforce his front and subsequently to develop another offensive. Tho heights of somo of the positions may bo of interest Asiago itself is about 3100 feet abovo sea level. Gallic is just short of 3100, and Monto Longara rises to 5000 feet. Tho Caldiera peak is roughly 6600 feet high, and tho Caldiera pass over the frontier —a mere foot track—crosses at 6500 foot. West of tho Caldiera is the Cima Undici, of 7000 feet, and tho dominating peak of the Dodici group is given on an Italian Staff map as 7-100 feet, though the tourist books and maps add another 200 feet.