THE ATTACK ON FIUME.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 225, 29 December 1920, Page 5

THE ATTACK ON FIUME.

< CASUALTJES REPORTED. ;" ; BEBED -WARSHIP DESTROYED,, v ' (Bv'-MeWic Telegraph.—Copyright.) ' '■' \Wp;':/ •■ '< ROME, Dec.2B. '.% -Th.e ".troops of General Ferraro attacked ;he putskiits of Fiume on' Christmas Eve. 'D'Aimirhzro ordered that all-the woods « n ' circling the city should bo burned, and amontablo . destruction, ensued; including 'hat. of ai number of public buildings. Later ; field guns and- armoured cars joined in the battle. The Alpini, moving |rpm Oastrano, broke, D'Annunzio's left . wing, ind entered Fiume,. whore;.they occupied Danubiusyard. The regulars, then found themselves under the fire of hundreds of machine guns; There were 'many, casualties on both sides.' 'Motor-lorries, laden with wounded, are arriving ab Coho., .;'..' , DlAnnunzio is- continually ._ sending ' out violent proclamations,.-inciting his troops and. the citizens of Fiume, to fight to. the last. There aro rumours that ho has been wounded. ', . " '''..'V .;'•' ■"'■.""• The. .deitrover Espero, which to' D'Annunzio, was 'destroyed' by violent Gro :l from .the Government warships.—(A. ,md N.Z. cabled) ' ; • ■.'■'"

BOTH SIDES LOSE HEAVILY. DESERTION OF LEGIONARIES./ ' Nows of ..the fighting which bpg^rj: on the Fiume front-'.tin Christmas'EVo, which was ■yithheld for several. days, has "caused, a 3ensation arn° n gst the public. -The news-, papers deplbre the fratricidal conflict, but Wrongly support the Government. .' The'regulars advanced on. the whole front without firing until tho legionaries opened the attack." Tlie advance, was temporarily checked at Susack. the IcgionaricV blowing up a bridge, after three hours' heavy fighting. The losses on both' sides aro. reported to be heavy. D'Annunzio has crushed two attempts at insurrection amongst_ the population- of Fiume. >Somo legionaries vare de'-' sorting and joining the regulars.—(A. -and N.Z. cable;)' : ," :'_• ,' r ; .;',< ' D'ANNUNZIO REPORTED DEAD. ' .'' ROME, Dec. .28. According to. a . despatch from Fiume, DiAnnunzib was killed while trying to prevent a fight between tho legionaries and regulars.—(A.'and N.Z. cable.) : ".''C JADING THE EPISODE. THIRTY REGULARS KILLED.

• . Received' December 29, 10.30 a.m.' .ROME, Dec. 28. General Cayiglia announces that he is making, an facial entry into Fiume,-thils ending the'. D'Annunzio episode. ,: .- D'Annunzio was not wounded'. Thirty, regular «oldjera were- killed, and 100 ,wounded.—(A. and N.Z. cable). POET WHO DEFIED POWERS'. D'ANNUNZIO'S DICTATORSHIP. ■

Fiumc has been under the control of (Jio famous Italian "poet, Gabtielo D'Annunzio, for. 15 months. , When at tho head of 4000 Italian volunteers D'Annunzio entered Fiume on September 12 last.year, while the Allied conferenco at Paris was debating whether the city should. be awarded to Yugoslavia or Italy, many-regarded it as a transitory adventure that would endure no longer than tho caprice of the poet, who evoked it, D'Annunzio, however, has tenaciously retained his hoid,on tfecity/do-' spite the alternating threats 'aiid cajolery of .the Italian: Government, and has exercised a virtual dictatorship. After several months of intermittent and ineffectual debate by the Supreme Council, at Paris, the Allies decided Ito resign to lU-.ly-and Yugoslavia the responsibility of settling the disposal of Fiume by direct negotiation.' Last month the Governments of-Rome and reached an agreement, and,a treaty was signed at Ra'pallo. Details of the ...treaty have not-been received yet,';tut' the cabled summaries indicate that Fiume is to be' constituted a free city under Italian protection and that Yugoslavia is to recojyo';; comperifation' .in tho form of- neighbour jii" "islands off th«i;DnlmdfiaA coast: T6 execute its, obligation's under the treaty the Italian Government has been compelled at last to take action against D'Annunzio. From accounts cabled during tho past few months it would-seem that tho forced under the command of the poet-dictator, both naval and military, have been considerably augmented by desertions from the Italian navy and army ■' Several islands in the Gulf of Quarn'evo/th© approach to Fiume by sea, and along- 'the Dalmatian coast have been occupied -by D'Annunzio's legionaries, and a small fleet |of desfroyors. and light craft takeri to Fiume by naval mutineers is at tho poet's'command. D'Annunzio is now 66 years of age. .Before tho war he was Italy's foremost poet, novelist;-'arid dramatist. By his : stirring orations- he plaved an important part in bringing about Italy's intervention' nr tho war, and afterwards hje v won fame as a fearless airman. ...