AUSTRIAN AND ITALIAN FLEETS ACTIVE IN ADRIATIC.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15949, 21 June 1915, Page 7

AUSTRIAN AND ITALIAN FLEETS ACTIVE IN ADRIATIC.

INTERCHANGE OF RAIDS ON OPPOSING COASTS.

ITALIANS BOMBARD ARMAMENT FACTORY NEAR TRIESTE.

(Received Juno 20, 5 p.m.)

Rome, June 19.

An official communique states: "The Austrian Fleet bombarded the lighthouse at the mouth of the Tagliamenfco, north-ea.t of Venice. Our destroyer flotilla repulsed the attack, afterwards bombarding Tannario and the Austrian lighthouse at Salvore, on the southern headland of the Gulf of Trieste. An Austrian destroyer bombarded Monopoli, on the southern Adriatic coast, north-west of Brindisi, and unsuccessfully attempted to ignite the naphtha depot. We bombarded an Austrian munition and armament factory near Trieste. An enemy destroyer torpedoed the small Italian steamer Maria Grazia. The crew were landed safely.

Austrian scouts and destroyers bombarded the completelyundefended towns of Pesaro and Rimini, between Ravenna and Ancona, damaging only a few houses. Three civilians at Rimini were slightly wounded."

An Austrian cruiser and four destroyers bombarded Fano, a few miles south of Pesaro. The damage done was insignificant.

The Italian submarine Medusa, which was sunk by an Austrian submarine, was reputed to be the fastest submarine, in the world.

The two submarines were under water, each ignorant of the other's nearness. The Medusa was the first to come to the surface. The enemy sighted her through her periscope, and promptly torpedoed the Italian craft.