ITALY'S GRBAT GUN POWER.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 14439, 27 October 1917, Page 9

ITALY'S GRBAT GUN POWER.

GANNON* RVRRY- ' ' li "VrAHtrS ON FRONT OP 44 SMILES. '

..MJDAN, August.. £1.. ; General Cadorna's gi'and success m the initial, phase of the new titanic battle on the Julian, front is ibeing greeted here with whole-souled,, popujar rejoicings. According to the • particular informa.tion of the Corriere della Serra, the Italian cannon actually engaged m the terrific bombardment on a 44-mile line of battle average one cannon for every 12 yards, besides many thousands of bomb-throwers.

The successful passage, of the swiftflowing Isonjso, betweepV. formidable bas.tions of steep rook' 1950 "io 2300 • feet, high has been made' possible through the construction of a wonderful system of sluices which almost drains the. river bed-v r • ;-.~.J.:.-.^ ,.\. '. r .' : -'] : Though : the (skeleton, .city- of Gprizia lies m the very centre =of the frightfu} war storm, and is being subjected.* to a hail of asphyxiating gas-bombs, some of whichl. have .fallen: 6n<: the hosptials, the brave Duchess Helan.vof Apstat, her- staff of - nurses, and - over 3000 inhabitants have elected to stick to their posts. The latest .message here this morning states that j>hie » first . of Austrian defences east of Gorizia right down to the Adriatic coast ha» now been^ almost everywhere Lpassed^ while on- the northern .slopes of : the Oarso and the • central sectors three or four miles of ..the^nemy's trenchworks, v buiJ.t-< of armored cement, have been carried 'by furious . assaults. The whole enemy country for miles m depth is a vast nest: of machine, guns. Every yard of the Italian advance is being, fiercely contested, bjiit the ■', capture 0^ ther Au6triaii> stroqgholds '"-of^f Monte Santo, San -Gabrielle,". and San ' Ararco may be expected 'at any moment.