ITALIAN ADVANCE CONTINUED

Otago Witness, Issue 3196, 16 June 1915, Page 65

ITALIAN ADVANCE CONTINUED

STOfiMING THE TYROL-TBENTINO STRONGHOLDS

ACROSS THE ISONZO RIVER

WHY GERMANY REFRAINED. ASSURANCE FROM AUSTRIA WANTED. ROME, June 7. II Secolo has interviewed a well-informed personage, who says the reason Germany has not declared war on Italy is because she first desired to secure an undertaking from Austria that the latter Power would not conclude a separate peace. The Kaiser will therefore not move against Italy until Austria is committed to sacrifice her last man, her last thaler, and her last inch of territory. On the other hand, overtures have recently been made to the Triple Entente on behalf of the Austrians, who do not wish to sacrifice the Dual Monarchy to the Kaiser’s pride or to their own ruler’s blindness. THE KAISER AT VIENNA. GENEVA, June 7. The Kaiser has arrived in Vienna. ‘FINANCIAL RESOURCES. LONDON, June 8. The Press Bureau states that Mr M'Kenna’s conference with the Italian Treasury authorities resulted in a resolution to co-op‘erate in the use of financial resources in the same ungrudging spirit as the naval and military forces. ITALY WELCOMED. LONDON, June 8. Alluding to Italy’s intervention, Mr Asquith said in the House of Commons that they regarded her as one of the custodians of a free Europe, and welcomed her gallant sailors and soldiers as comrades in the struggle on which the liberty of the world depended. PROGRESS BY ITALY. ROME, June 8. Official; All along the frontier our advanced troops are capturing important positions against feeble resistance. Along the river Isonzo, from Caporetta to the sea, we occupied the most suitable places for crossing, and installed our bridgeheads. Severe fighting continues on the Upper Isonzo We gained a sound footing on both banks, and seriously threaten Tolmino. Our cavalry crossed to the eastern bank of the Lower Isonzo, dnd are entrenching. The Italians have captured Cortina, after a difficult ascent up the .rocky mountain range and a perilous occupation of the ridge, where they were nearly outflanked by the Austrian infantry. But the Italian mountain batteries, cleverly brought up during the night, opened a deadly fire, and cut off the Austrians’ retreat. The enemy was obliged to withdraw to the pine forests. The Italians have won the fortress which was armed with the famous Skodra guns. [Cortina lies in the S.E. Tyrol, about 60 miles north-east of Trent.] The Naval Staff reports the third bombardment of Montfalcone. Three enemy batteries near the Castle of Duino were silenced by our destroyers. The latter silenced the batteries and set the castle afire. The destroyers returned unharmed. Our dirigibles again bombed the military positions at Pola. THE DUEL FOR TORINO. ROME, June 9. The duel for Tolino continues with unabated fierceness. The Italians at MonteNero are pouring hundreds of high explosive shells into the Austrian entrenched positions. The Italian cavalry, with matchless dash and bravery, seized the eastern bank of the Isonzo, after swimming the flooded river. The Italian artillery is markedly superior to the Austrian. The object of the bombardment of Castle Duino, the magnificent residence of the Hohenose family, is the possession of the Gulf of Panzano, which will afford a strong base against Montfalcone. Destroyers damaged the Duino railway, thus preventing the Austrian supplies and reinforcements from reaching Trieste. VON HINDENBURG. ROME, June 9. 1 A Berne report states that General von Hihdenburg remarked: “I have finished with the Russian rabble, and can now turn my attention to the Italians. It is rumoured than von Hondenbuvg will command in the Tyrol. AERIAL FIGHTING. ROME, June 9. Official : An Austrian aeroplane bombed Venice, damaging some houses and wounding a woman and girl. Another bomb in-

land killed one person and wounded several. VIENNA, June 9. Official : A naval aeroplane shot down the airship Oitta di Ferrara, and two officers and five men were captured. AN AUSTRIAN TRAP. LONDON, June 8. A press correspondent states that before abandoning their advance positions on the frontier the Austrians arrested thousands of Italian sympathisers. They told the inhabitants that the Italians were sending Askari troops to violate the women and pillage and destroy everything. The people promptly evacuated their homes. The Austrians barricaded the passes with chains interwoven with wire entanglements, burnt and destroyed the bridges, and retired to strongly protected mountain positions. The Austrians purposely left the rich valley of the Isonzo open, the towns being left unprotected, to lure the Italians into the trap, believing that the ardour of their troops would cause them to occupy them, and thus enable the Austrians to decimate them from the surrounding hills. The Italians did not enter them, but instead are assailing the hills. KAISER GOING TO ITALIAN BOEDER. BERNE, June 9. The Kaiser has returned to Berlin. Addressing the troops in Galicia, he admitted that the losses at Przemysl were very heavy, but they were unavoidable, as Germans must either conquer or die. The Kaiser is shortly going to the Italian frontier. It is understood that he will deliver speeches in which he will stigmatise the conduct of Italy in terms which will be the real declaration of war. ITALIAN SUCCESSES ON THE ISONZO. ROME, June 10. Official: The troops at Isonzo, with great dash and tenacity won important positions. We occupied Montfalcone. The artillery duel damaged several of the enemy’s batteries. We occupied Austrian positions in the Monte 'Nero region, the enemy leaving 100 corpses and 60 wounded. Seventy Bosnian deserters surrendered at Caparetio. We took 400 Austrians as prisoners elsewhere on the Isonzo. Our casualties were not serious, but prisoners state that the Austrian losses were very great. King Victor Emanuel has visited all the advanced trenches between Stelvio and the Adriatic. His visit was immensely stimulating to the troops’ enthusiasm. His Majesty accompanied the First Brigade when it crossed the Isonzo on a pontoon AUSTRIAN 'OFFICIAL REPORT. VIENNA, June 10. Official: An Italian division attacked a bridgehead at Goerz on the Bth, but was repulsed with severe losses, and was obliged to abandon several guns and artillery. We also defeated attempts at attack near Gradisca and Montfalcone. GREECE’S PART. ATHENS, June 10. The Italian Minister, speaking at an Italian gathering, referred to the profound sorrow that Italians felt at the absence of Greece from the ptruggle for the peace of the world. Instead of enthusiasm for Italy’s courageous action they reaped cold-' ness and suspicion. In the event of the partition of Asia Minor Italy would not remain impassive. Asia Minor was large enough to satisfy all appetites. Greece might also render her occupation of the iEgean Islands permanent. A PAPAL SCHEME. • BERNE, June 9. Upon the Pope’s’ initiative the Federal Council is arranging a scheme to intern 20,000 wounded prisoners in the various Swiss health resorts, returning them to their captors when convalescent. AUSTRIAN SPY ARRESTED. GENEVA, Juno 9. An Austrian spy has been arrested at Domodossala. He was in possession of a large bomb and a plan of the Simplon Tunnel. [The Simplon Tunnel is through the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. Domodossala is the nearest town to it on the Italian side.] AUSTRIA INADEQUATELY PREPARED. ' LONDON, June 9. The Rome correspondent of The Times reports that the Italian vanguard is over the Isonzo. This makes the Austrian

tenure of Gozitz uncertain. Successful operations in Trentino are equally important, and indicate that Italy has nearly closed the wide-open gate giving access to her northern plains. It is increasingly evident that, the Austrians have not made adequate preparations for Italy’s entry into the war. Threats of a lightning German advance, widely circulated by German agents in Italy, are empty bluff. No doubt Italy will shortly be heavily engaged. Meantime her strategical position and morale have been greatly strengthened. USE OF WILD BUFFALOES. LONDON, June 10. Mr Donohoe, the Daily Chronicle correspondent, writing from Northern Italy, states that the use of wild buffaloes for breaking down Austrian entanglements was not an isolated incident. The Italian have thousands of savage animals at their disposal, and they are also used to explode mines in passes giving entrance to Trentino and for exploding bombs. Sometimes they are used in a stampede, but the usual method is for serum to be injected, which rouses the buffaloes to a terrifying pitch of fury. Sometimes 5000 beasts are released at a time. As they rush through the pass there is a terrific explosion. The buffaloes are blown to pieces, but the trcops are able to traverse with safety, and afterwards they eat the flesh of the slaughtered animals. IMPORTANT POSITION CAPTURED. ROME, June 10. Official; On the Tyrol and Trentino frontier we continue to fortify our positions preparatory to developing fresh operations. Despite strenuous opposition we have approachd the Falzarego Pass, and captured a gun and a quantity of ammunition. Yesterday our Alpine Chasseurs captured an important position at Preikoffel, close to Gar nice and Monte Croce, after several days’ fierce fighting. We took 100 prisoners. AUSTRIAN EMPEROR INCENSED. LONDON, June 10. A Rome message states that the Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria, exasperated by the sudden and unexpected Italian offensive, is recalling General von Holtzendorf from the supreme command. There is a reign of terror in the Trentino. The Austrians are ruthlessly destroying property and arresting the inhabitants. Starved refugees are arriving at Verona in a pitiful condition. OTHER IMPORTANT POSITIONS CAPTURED. PARIS, June 10. Le Petit Journal states that the Italians destroyed the railway to Roveredo. They severely shelled Trento Beseno and Besenello, and destroyed some of the Austrians’ best positions on the right bank of the Lagarina, arid some on the left bank. The Italians’ losses were relatively small compared with the extent of territory evacuated by the enemy and the importance of the positions taken. ROME, June 10. The Italians are within 17 miles of Trieste.