THE STRENGTH OF GORIZIA.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 283, 30 November 1915, Page 2

THE STRENGTH OF GORIZIA.

A GREAT NATURAL FORTRESS

Writing from the Italian front on 24th September, a special correspondent of the Morning Post gives a very interesting description of the difficulties confronting the" Italians at Gorizia. The hills round the town held by the Austrians constitute an entrenched camp. "This camp is certainly one of the wonders of the present European war. Modern artillery lists shewn that artificial fortifications are of extremely limited value, or perhaps of no value at all. Gorizia is a striking demonstration of the superiority of natural strategic posi-. tions. In the entrenched camp of Gorizia is nothing but a prodigious natural fortress. The city, which lies S in the centre, is encircled by the ( Isonzo, while on the southern side, by I which it is approached by the invading forces, is a tumultous and treacherous stream, peculiarly adapted ( tor its defence. And alongside the river, and beyond it both on the east ar.d on the west. Gorizia is surrounded »y an uninterrupted succession of hills and mountains. Seen from afar, these slopes have the exact appearance of gigantic redoubts. Their continuity constitutes .their, defensive strength*. There is not a single point which; leaves an opening for the army of investment in this frontal barrier ir j the Coliio, froiTi Gorizia to Cormous \ rind all the plains of the Fmili from 5 Cormons to Cividale. History has 5 already demonstrated the strategic f value of Gorizia. It was the most .solid barrier to \.hr> invasion? of the ' Barbarians which the ancient Romans =: possessed. Throughout the Middle I

Ages it win.?, the critical centre of all the grpat battles, for the conquest of Venetia. But this is the first time that it has served' to bar the way to. a people marching northwards to fight for their liberties and the security of their country. The Italians have had to . encounter not only natural obstacles, but obstacles carefully prepared by the enemy during the long months of Italy's neutrality. The Ourso and Gorizia were the only points at which the Austrians did not possess the natural advantages of the terrain, and where an invasion of their adversaries was to be feared. The defences they constructed of steel and reinforced concrete are models of strategic ingenuity-. "On the mountains that defend the flanks of Gorizia, front the tableland of Teraova to that or Doberdo, the Austrians planted- cannon in the cavernous recesses that abound in that region. All these artillery positions are United up together by means of a. gigantic telegraphic and telephonic system. On no part of the / fighting front in this European war has an army found itselt face to face with obstacles such as the Italian forces have encountered, and it is necessary to take this into account in estimating the importance of the progress they have made up to the present. Tn reality, that progress has been very great. The defence of Gorizia continues only at one point, the town itself. Originally the Austrian bulwarks were four in number—Monte San Michele, the Podgora, the Pevnay and the Sabotino. All of them are now in the grip of the Italian pincers. The advantages of the famous 'entrenched camp' have, to a large extent, been nullified, thanks to the daring and heroism of the Italian troops, who have captured with the bayonet successive lines of trenches, braving the murderous fire of the enemy and the, mines which have been laid behind his wire entanglements, and dragging heavy cannon up those dizzy heights in order that they might meet the enemy artillery on even terms. The enormous number of troops which Austria poured into the region of Gorizia and the Carso were powerless to arrest the march of the Italians. Of the 18,000 ■ prisoners captured by the latter up to »the present, more than three-fourths surrendered at this particular extremity of the Italian front."