ALBANIA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 15 June 1920, Page 5

ALBANIA

A NATIONAL UPRISING A NATIONAL UPRISING (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Australian & N.Z. Cable Assooi; ;wu) ” ROME, June 14. The garrisons at Santi Quavanta (eight 'miles north-cast of Corfu), Duleigno ton the Montenegrin coast, twelve miles south of Antivavi) and Antivarl have been forced to embark. _ A small garrison at Tepoleni, seventy-five miles south-east of Durazzo, though surrounded for many days, is still holding out and is receiving rations from .an aeroplane. Durazzo continues pluckily to resist hut everything is ready for evacuation, lb appears a national uprising is now in progress throughout Albania. Strikes of seamen and railwaymen are occurring in many Italian ports and towns, the object being”* to prevent the dispatch of troops and material. ITALIAN LOSSES SEVERE (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Australian A N.Z. Cable Association) ROME. June 14. The fight for Valona raged furiously for four hours, beginning at midnight. Fifteen thousand Albanian insurgents placed mines on all the roads. They destroyed bridges and planted captured Italian guns on the heights overlooking the town. These shelled the naval base during the main attack, Italian warships replying. The defenders’ plight was almost hopeless at four o’clock owing to a treacherous Mussulman attack in their rear, but the Alpini made a desperate charge slaying two hundred and capturing several thousand and a number of guns. Then they rounded up all the Mussulmans whom they deported to Brindisi.

The Italian losses are severe. The first list contains thirtysemi officers missing. There are disquieting rumours concerning the fate of the Scutari garrison.