ITALIAN OFFENSIVE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 14124, 17 October 1916, Page 3

ITALIAN OFFENSIVE.

ADVANCE UNDER. TERRIFIC FIXE. ATTACKING AUSTRIANS' SECOND LINE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.! ROME, October 15. The Italian newspapers are enthusiastic over the splendid valor of the latest Italian advance under terrific fire over five hundred yards-. < t The King and Generals Cadbrna and Porro watched the battle. The Italians wore steel masks and helmets. An Italian semi-official statement says : As a result of the fighting on the 11th the Italian line advanced from one to two kilometres, and an attack has been opened on dominating positions m the second line, especially Hill 333, which, with Mount Recinka, constitutes the northern pivot of the second line. Our progress on the whole front is all the more remarkable m view of the heavy. bombardments arid masped counter-attacks for 24 hours at Divine and east of Gorizia. . The Italians, after repelling these, renewed the offensive. An Italian communique says :— We captured a stronghold between Sette Clociroife and Pasubia, and drove off with heavy losses counter-attacks southward of Noravilla. In the" Carso we captured ground between the first and second enemy lines. We leached Monte Pecvinka and the first houses of Lopuizza and Hudiloq. The Austrians considered their first line positions, m the Carso very strong. They extended only seven miles, thus nullifying the numerical superiority of the Italians ; also, the straightness entailed an attack on the whole extension. When the Italian offensive captured important points on this line, the Austrians feverishly began to prepare a second line, which they then only laid out. The Italians are now attacking this. 1 (Reuter's Telegram.) ROME, October 15. A later communique says :— -We are extending the occupation of Sober Ridge, south-east of Gorizia, where the enemy has abandoned prisoners and large quantities of arms and ammunition. There is comparative quiet at Carso. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) VIENNA, October 15. The newspapers are increasingly anxious over the menace to. Trieste. They report that the concentration of Italian warships is proceeding m the Northern Adriatic. It is now estimated that the Austrian losses on the 10th and 11th totalled 40,000. BERNE, October 15. The Trieste records, works of art, and treasury have beeii removed to Vienna. ATTACKS REPULSED AND FURTHER GAIN RECORDED. (Australian arid N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received October 16, 11.55 a.m.) LONDON, October 15.' An Italian communique states : We repulsed attacks on Mount Pasubio, and are progresing by counter-attack towards Mount Rotil.