ITALIAN MOTOR SERVICE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16709, 1 June 1916, Page 7

ITALIAN MOTOR SERVICE.

SAVED THE SITUATION. LOSS OF GUNS THE MOST SERBOUS. ROME, May 31. (Received May 31, at 10.10 p.m.) Very heavy fighting, continues on the plateau of Sette Ccniimmi, where the Austrian pressure is strongest. The Italians have evacuated Asiago, holding the hills to the east. The Austrians are slowly advancing in moun> tainous country north oi the town. The Italian wings are holding and punishing the Austrians very severely. An admirable motor transport saved the situation for Italy, enabling great reinforcements to reach the ArsieroAsiago plateau in time to stop the gap due to the breaking of the first line. The most serious loss was that of big guns abandoned on the Monte Maggiospitz=Lonezza line. AUSTRIAN LOSSES COMPUTED. THEIR PLANS UPSET. EVACUATED TERRITORY ENTIRELY DENUDED. NEW YORK, May 31. (Received May 31, at 10.50 p.m.) A mesage from Milan states that a Swiss officer who has returned from Tren tino says the Austrian losses for the 12 days of the offensive averaged 5000 daily Other reports from Berne state that the losses totalled 69,000. The Austrians were fighting the left wing of the Italians, and after seven days more than half of tliem were destroyed. Although the enemy were prepared at all points for a sensational march to victory, they found the evacuated territory denuded, even of greeustuffs. Calculating upon the Italians retreating precipitately, the enemy expected ample stores in the captured territory, but field telephones were busy, with the result that the invading army was without food within 24 hours. AUSTRIAN TRANSPORT SUNK BY ITALIAN WARSHIP. ROME, May 30. A semi-official report (states tliat an Italian warship, on the night of the 28th inst., torpedoed and sank a large enemy transport off Trieste (the principal Austrian port in th© Adriatic).