BRITISH CRUISER TORPEDOED.

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

BRITISH CRUISER TORPEDOED.

LONDON, June 11. A Vienna telegram states that an Austrian submarine torpedoed and sank off San Giovanni di Medua (Albanian coast) a British cruiser of the Liverpool class, which was accompanied by six destroyers. The Press Bureau states that the ship which presumably is referred to is safe in harbour and not seriously damaged. LONDON, June 12. Semi-official: The ship of the Liverpool class has a false bottom. She co-operated with the Italian destroyers successfully in the operations in the Gulf of Drino, in the Adriatic, and returned with them to the Italian base. Her speed is 17 knots an hour. [The Liverpool class of light cruiser, completed in 1910, numbers five, each "of 4800 tons, and carrying two 6in and 10 4in guns, and with a speed of 25 knots and a complement of 376 men.] A SUDDEN ATTACK SUCCEEDS. ROME, June 13. Official: Skirmishing continues on the Tyrol and Trentino frontiers, and the enemy is still retreating. On the Carnia front our Alpini captured the Volais Pass, taking some prisoners. On the Middle Isonzo we succeeded in a sudden attack on the left bank of the river near Plava. The enemy fiercely counter-attacked, but ultimately retired, leaving numerous dead and losing 200 prisoners. On the Lower Isonzo our heavy artillery destroyed a dyke near Sagrado, with which the enemy had flooded the country and so impeded opr advance. HOW A PAiSS WAS CAPTURED. ROME, June 13. A document signed by General Rohr was found on a captured Austrian officer. It stated that an inquiry had been opened up on a grave dereliction of duty by an Austrian detachment. The charge against the latter was that of failing lamentably

in a sector where they might easily have held the Italians, who clambered over the rocks in the rain and mist, and broke the Austrian front. The defeat occurred because two companies of Austrian reserves were asleep. OCCUPATION OF GRADISCA. ROME, June 13. The Italians occupied Gradisca (near Trieste) on Tuesday. The announcement was delayed until both sides of the Isonzo River were in Italian possession, and permanent occupancy of the town was assured. Seven thousand Austrians participated in a surprise attack on the Italian rear at Monte Nero. The force diverged into three columns, and each followed a narrow mountain track with machine guns strapped to mules. Our Alpini detected the movement. The Italians were ordered to lie concealed, and the Austrians fell into the' trap. The Alpini and Bersaglierj sprang from rocks, trees, - trenches, and ditches, and attacked furiously, while their machine guns battered the Austrian rear. The Austrians, after a desperate resistance, returned. Some of their mules and guns fell over the precipices. POLA BOMBED. ROME, Juno 15. II Messagero states that an Italian dirigible raided Pola. It almost completely destroyed the arsenal. Near by were six Austrian warships, including one battleship and two cruisers, also several submarines. A number of these were damaged. The bombs also struck several floating clocks. ATTACK UPON GOEIZIA. LONDON, June 14. A message from Udine states that the attack upon Gcrizia lias practically begun. The Italians are bombarding the fortifications of Santa Maria, San Pietro, San Marco, and Santa Lucia, besides the Austrian position in the mountains dominating the town, especially Mount Sangahrielle, north-west of Gorhsia. Railway communication north and south has been cut by the Austrians, whose main plan was to prevent the Italians crossing the Isonzo between Tolmino and Grade-co, believing that these points of action in conjunction form an insurmountable barrier to the cat» • ture of Plava Dcscla, but the Italians upset the plan. A GALLANT COLONEL UDIN, June 13. His Majesty King Humbert has decorated. Colonel Rossi with a medal for valour. Colonel Rossi led a column across the Isonzo against a strong position. At a critical moment the pontoon ’bridge was swept away, and the Austrians immedi- , ately hurled a strong force against the 1 Italians who had landed and attempted to sweep them into the river. Colonel Rossi ' charged in face of a terrible fire, and tha ■ Bersaglieri broke through the enemy bolding the bridge-head and stormed the artillery commanding the river. Colonel Rossi fell wounded, but exhorted his men to continue until the position avus won. AN AUSTRIAN SPY. ROME, June 14. A priest at Caporetto, signalling to the Austrians from a church, and giving the . range, proved to be an Austrian colonel in disguise. He avus shot.