ITALY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LII, Issue 165, 10 July 1918, Page 5

ITALY

PIAVE OEcTfl

HUGE ENiEMY LOSSES.

fißec. July 10, 2.45 p.m.) tONDON July x,

Mi" Ward Price writes: —The Austvians are bitterly reluctant- to lose half drowned positions on the Piave delta, for which they made terrible sacrifices last winter. Two Italian officers- recently taken prisoner escaped. They describe that an exalted Austrian admiral and! a large staff assembled at Gaorle, ten miles behind the front, waiting to assume command of the naval base at. Venice.

;The Austrians retreated from the delta., only when; liable to complete extermination. Added' to increasing Italian shelling, and machine-gunning', there was imminent (Starvation, owing to the cutting off of supplies. 'Retitemenfb under heavy fire ddisorgahised the remnant of the shattered l four divisions, which left -heaps of corpses everywhere, sinking in the delta's greedy imid. The dead include man)y of the ica-ack Viennese infantry corps, .known- as the Company. of Death, wearing the emblem of skull and cross-bones, noted for daring. The Austro-German Government has ordered the censors-hip to rigidly s-np-press the news of the clean sweep of Generals, involved in the recent defeat. It is felt that the disclosure of the in'competency of the military leaders would dangerously (increase the discontent ini Hungary and further diisappoint the Austrians. SITUATION AT MONTE GRAPPA FURTHER ITALIAN GAINS. COL- CAPRILE POSITION EXTENDED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.) LONDON, July 8. An Italian official report says:—By small actions we gained ground northward of iMonte Grappa. We extended our advanced occupation in the region of Col Caprile. The Italians and (French between the coast and Tomoric Valley, in Albania, began on operation on July 6th which is developing satisfactorily. I The prisoners already exceed 1000. AN AUSTRIAN COMMUNIQUE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association and Reuter.) (Admiralty per Wireless Press.; , LONDON, July 8. An. Austrian official message says:— The Italians, attacking with a strong west wing on the middle and ' :>*-.ir Vojust, in Albania, we withdrew our advanced posts in the valley to the ni.sin positions. ITALIAN PRISONERS ESCAPE. AUSTRIAN ABUSE OF CONTENTIONS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) WASHINGTON, ,?,,Iy b. The Italian Embassy's official adv.ctss say that on the Piave front 700 Italians who were captured by the'Austrians escaped. The Italians say that the Austrians are forcing prisoners to work behind the lines under fire. LUDENDORFfInYhE TBENTtNO (Reuter's Telegran*s.)

TURIN, Jvly 8

Ludendorff recently visited tie I'tntino and ordered preparations for the new Austrian offensive lo be hastened, •Large Austrian reinforce m .its ore ccncentrated from Imiisbruck to the Tre*:tino. The Swiss frontier is < 'osed. DISGRACED AUSTRIAN GENERALS (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (ROME, July 8. Bitter recriminations ai - o going on between Conrad -von Hoetzendorff and General Borovitch. The latter accused Conrad of making the fatal mistake of concentrating troops in valleys dominated hy Italian artillery. Conrad declares that Borovitch committed a fatal blunder in nob suspending the offensive when the Piave was flooded, knowing that" he had not sufficient material to.force the passage. Bulgarian newspapers declare that Austria's gross and humiliating failure lias compromised the fate of the whole war. The tune has come when Bulgaria must think mostly of her own inter ests. HEROIC MUNITION WORKERS courage in' the presence of Appalling danger. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. July 10, 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, July 9. Mr F. G. Kelleway (Parliamentary Secretary of Munitions), referring ito the recent explosion in a munition factory, paid a tribute to' the : meii and women of the works, and' their courage in the presence of sudden and appaM&ng danger. They worked coolly 'as if doing exhibition drill. 'Only twelve out of seven thousand failed to turn up to work next morning. Mr Kelleway suggested that as the French Government ha"d contferred the highest mttitary honour on the citadel of Verdun we should? confer the Victoria Cross on this factory. AUSTRIAN EMPEROR AND EMPRESS DIVORCE ALLEGED' TO BE IMMINENT. EMPRESS OPPOSES BOMBARDMENT OF ITALIAN' TOWNSL (Austraii&n and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. July 10, 8.50. a.m.) LONDON, July 9. The Daily Telegraph's Milan correspondent states that Milan papers allege that the divorce of Emperor Karl and Empress Zita is imminent. The opposition of the Empress to ithe bombardment of Italian towns ds so strong that it has produced a real difference with Karl.

The correspondent adds that a disgraceful military clique is largely responsible fox.--the' allegations against the Empress., being anjxious to attribute the failure of the Piave offensive the fact that Venice was not first bombarded and razed to the ground by ihe guns of Austrian warships. _ As a matter of fact arv order was given to the Austrian fleet earlier to_ steam for an Italian port in the Adriatic a/nid raze irb to the; ground as a preliminlary to the Piave offensive, but .'RiLzzo's feat averted the bombardment.

FOOD SITUATION IN GERMANY •MISERY OF THE MASSES.

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

(Rec. July 10, 8.50 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, July 8. In the Reichstag Arfrrist Maiteinga drew attention to the grave food situation. . The Socialist Weaest said that certain circles, including the Kaiser, had no idea of the misery of the masses), 47 per cent of whom earned under four marks daily. The shortening of the war would be a greater economi|3 gain than to conquer any province. ■MANY DIFFICULTIES AHEAD. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. July 10, 12.10 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, July 9. Von Waldow, Food! Minister, in a gloomy' speech in the Reichstag, referring to the necessity to introduce a meatless week monthly during August, September, and October, said that the food stocks were far 'below the necessities' and he feared that the difficulties would continue for a long time. The speech was constantly interrupted. The Socialist, Wels, protested against meatless weeks and warned the Government that the people would not tjcJerate greater suffering than they were now enduring. Herr Wart, Socialist, said the belief that G.ermany could j feed herself was erroneous and was one of the contributory causes of tl' j war. He protested against the recent I nti-strik'e measures at Warnberg, | when storm-troops, "gas masks', and maI chino guns- intimidated the workers.

GERMANS AND HOSPITAL SHIPS

RIGHT OF SEARCH EXERCIS>ET>. (Router's Telegrams.) (Rec. July 10, 8. SO a.m.) IJONDON, July 9. In the House of Commons I>r Macnamara (Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty) stated that German* submarinies on occasions exercised the right of searching hospital ships in order to eee that they were complying with the Hague Conventions. He emphasised that Britain had never broken the letter or the spirit of the Conventions and believed the same was true regarding the Allies.

SUBMARINES AMERICAN TRANSPORT ATTACKED. (Australian and N.Z. CabJo Association., 'OTTAWA, July 9. News received at an Atlantic port states that a loaded American trans port was attacked by eight U-boats in the Bay of Biscay. Two U-boats were sunk by shellfire. The Norwegian vessel Augvald was torpedoed and sunk in Mid-Atlantic. Three persons were drowned, and thirteen are missing. ■— *• AMERICA AIRCRAFT CONSTRUCTION. NEW BOMBING MACHINE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) NEW YORK, July 8. The first American-bujilt 'HandlePage, the heaviest bombing aeroplane, baa been completed and successfully' tested. It is driven by''twin Liberty motors'of 400 horsepower each. GOVERNMENT CONTROL OF TELEGRAPHS. lAustralian and N.Z. Cable Association.J OTTAWA, July 8. A threatened strike which was one of the Teasonsr why [President Wilson demanded Government control of telegraphs and telephones. treasonYharge COU-ttl MARTIAL OF DOWLING. ;

(Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

LONDON, July 8. The court-martial of Dowling has opened. He is charged that, while a prisoner of war at Limberglahn Camp, he voluntarily served in the Irish Brigade formed and maintained by the German Government, also endeavouring to persuade other 'prisoners', to join. Finally he took a certain course with enemy naval forces and landed in Ireland. _ :'* . : ' .

Sir Archibald Bodkin, K.C.y prosecuting counsel, said prisoner in, 1907 transferred from, the Connaught Rangers to the Reserve, and was called up at the outbreak of the war. He accompanied the original Expeditionary Force to France, and was taken'prisoner. The Germans planned to concentrate the Irish, prisoners at Limberglahn, and 1 2000 were there at ■ the - end of December, 1914 i They were well treated. Prisoner and three others, Quinless, Keogh, and Bailey, stood dut prominently among the prisoners. Quinless, Keogh, and Dowling" seemed' to be acting together in concert with Casement. • ■. ■ -

lOounsel said that prisoner explained that he was washed ashore from a torpedoed vessel. Dowling went; to A bank and changed £3l in silver into Irish notes. Counsel added that there was little doubt that he was- allowed to come over to participate in an armed rebellion in Ireland.

Dowling is a slight, paJle-faced youth. He appeared in civilian clothes, attended by a guard with a loaded revolver. Accused seemed very nervous. The first witness was 'Cronin, a returned prisoner from Germany, who described Dowling's activities to get men to join the Irish Brigade. He wore the so-called Irish uniform, wit/h shamrock; badges. On one occasion British prisoners set on Dowling and called him a traitor.

IRE' AND A RECRUITING CAMPAIGN.

COLONEL LYNCH ACTIVE.

•Australian and N-Z- Cable Assofiation.) (Rec July 10. 11.10 a.m.) LONDON, July. 10., Colonel Lynch has energetically taken, up recruiting in Ireland. He has written an-open- letter inviting ex-President 'Roosevelt, who is a personal frierad, to assist in a whirlwind campaign. He is also making am effort to secure a visit by "General Joffre or a contingent of French heroes. '''

Colonel Lynch believes that training Americans in Ireland will have an exceleht effect; He hopes to secure permission to personally ad.dretsis County Councils and Sinn Fein h organisations. He believes that the campaign will hot only aswe-t the war, but will prepare the w»y for a finial solution of ' t ne Irish problem. ,: '-■ .' •'■-. '■ . : ■■•.-■.

AIRRAIDS FRIDAY'S RAID AT COBLENZ. (Australian and N.Z. Cabl* Association.) AMSTERDAM, July 8. German messages states that eleven aeroplanes participated in Friday's raid on Coblenz. Twenty bom'bs were dropped, and did damage to the town. Four persons were injured. BRITISH POLITICAL SITUATION. MR ASQTJLTH'S iFOSEDION. 'Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Rec. July 10, 12.10.p.m.) LONDON, July 9. There are many rumours in political circles that Mr Lloyd George (Prime Minister) and /Mr Bon&r Law (Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, formerly Leader of the Unionists) approached Mr Asquith (Leader of the Liberal Party), and suggested ithat he should become iLeader of the House of Common®, and) thus definitely attach himself to the coalition'. Otherwise Government candidates will oppose the Asquithites at the genevjl election;. This, combined with the opposition of Labouritesj would probaV r result in the virtual extinction oE Liberalism.

"the political position as one of fxitreme piquancy, in view of the circumstances in which Mr Asquith left office, and the Daily News' continual attacks on. Mr Lloyd George. The position is complicated by the fact that the Northciiffe newspapers, referring to the new rumours, intimate that they will oppose the. Government if Mr Asquith is allowed' to re-en er. THE CONQUERED COLONIES. MR liLOYID GEORGE'S RECENT STATEMENT. (Rec. July" 10, 12.45 p.m.) LOjNiDON, July 9. The Globe, commenting on Mr Dlbyd George's address to the Americans, wherein he : said that he did" not want to dispossess Germany of her "inheritance, asks: Are the conquered colonies to be treated as part of Germany's inheritance? If we .'nay assure Mr JLloyd George that the D>>nii ii.-vis vill have something to say. Ii th.:t is Mr Lloyd George's idea, we reco nraend t.iir to get in closer touch with national cp : r ion.