AUSTRIAN NAVY

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9998, 15 June 1918, Page 8

AUSTRIAN NAVY

SERIOUS BLOW INFLICTED BY ITALIAN TORPEDO BOATS. "MILAN, June 13. Tb» torpedoing of two powerful Ausis the most serious blow yet inflicted on the Austrian Navy. Italian light torpedo boats have niajle many daring incursions into enemy waters, but this seems the roost daring of all. The torpedo boats boldly joined the Austrian torpedo boat escorts and steamed side by side with them in the darkness. They seized an opportune moment to deal the fatal blow, and twice torpedoed a 22,-000-ton battleship and hit an armoured cruiser with a third torpedo, before the enemy was aware of their presence. Captain Rizzo, who commanded the expedition, has had a brilliant career. Tie is thirty years of age, and was trained in.the mercantile marine. He has engaged in many raids off the Adriatic coast. From the Gulf of Trieste he assisted in protecting the army's retreat to the Piave. He penetrated Trieste harbour on "December 9th, 1917, and torpedoed the cruiser W"ien. He achieved his latest performance without mishap.

STORY OF A WONDERFUL ACHIEVEMENT.

VENICE, June 13. Mr Ward Price had an interview with Captain Rizzo, who said be was going slow in orderto reduce the noise of the motors and the size of the wash, when the Austrian whistles sounded the alarm. There was no time to lose.

"The Dreadnought had not yet sighted me, bo I -carried on till I was within two hundred yards, and then fired the torpedoes. The first hit between the funnels, and the second astern of the aftermost funnel. The other Italian patrol boat came up and fired at the second Dreadnought. Her first torpedo missed, but the second hit and exploded."

The torpedo boats, continued Captain Rizzo. danced hither and thither, fixing wildly. One followed Rizzo so closely that he decided to throw over two depth charges while running. One exploded below a torpedo boat, which reeled like a drunkem man. The following day an Italian destroyer saw a damaged enemy destroyer being towed home.

Italian seaplane aviators state that the wreckage of the Dreadnoughts' covers a square mile of water. There i s one now at Pola, instead of three.

AN ADMISSION BY AUSTRIA. (Received June 15, 12.85 a.m.) AMSTERDAM, June 13. The Austrians admit that the 20,000 ten battleship Szent Tstvan was torpedoed and Bunk and that 100 officers and men were drowned.