STRONG POSITIONS STORIED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16550, 28 May 1917, Page 5

STRONG POSITIONS STORIED

TOTAL OF PRISONERS 22,000 AEROPLANE RAID ON ENGLAND SEVENTY-SIX KILLED; 174 INJURED EFFECTIVE WAR ON SUBMARINES The Italians are conducting a vigorous offensive from Plava to the head of the Adriatic Sea, but the brunt of the attack is still in the southern sector of the Carso Plateau, where they have made further gains on the ridge which is the highest part of the plateau. Severe counter-attacks have been repulsed. The total of prisoners taken is now over 22,000. The Italians have mastered the whole zone between Kostanievica, five miles north of the Adriatic, and the sea, and action towards Trieste is now stated to be possible. The success of the attack is attributed partly to the element of surprise, the infantry advancing after a com* paratively short bombardment. Italian aeroplanes played an important part and British monitors bombarded the rear of the enemy's lines from the Adriatic. The most murderous of all the air raids on Britain took place on Friday evening. Sixteen aeroplanes dropped bombs on towns in the south-east of England, and in one town seriously damaged a number of shops and bouses. Seventysix persons were killed and 174 injured. Three of the raiders were brought down by naval aeroplanes off Dunkirk. A strong German attack on a French salient north of the Chemin.des.Dames failed after the enemy had suffered severe losses. Two battalions were almost entirely destroyed. Mr. Lloyd George states that the allies are making substantial progress against the submarine menace, and more effective blows have been struck during the past three weeks than in any previous corresponding period of the war. An American report states that the war risk insurance on mer. chantmen bound to Britain has been reduced by one-third in consequence of favourable reports from the submarine zone. In some instances the reduction is SO per cent, upon the London market.