THE ITALIAN FRONT

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 170, 8 April 1918, Page 5

THE ITALIAN FRONT

AUSTRIANS CONCENTRATING LARGE FORCES Rome, April 5. Large fortes of Austrians from ltumariia are appearing on the Italian front. The Austrians have transferred large bodies of troops from the Piave to the mountains, and have organised a number of solid defensive zones and bridgeheads along the Livenza and the Tagliamento, thereby releasing more troops for the mountain offensive.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. ITALIAN OFFICIAL REPORT. ■ London, April 5. An Italian official report states: i "The enemy is carrying on persistent - and harassing fire on the Asiago Plateau. We dispersed parties on the western slopes of Mount Ortler, and engaged troops on the move in the rear between Susegana and Conegliano. There is remarkably intense artillery activity along the Piavo River." — Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.-R-euter. AUSTRIAN TALK OF IMPENDING OFFENSIVE. (Rec. April 7, 5.5 p.m.) Amsterdam, April 5. Budapest newspapers now assert that an anti-Italian offensive is impending. They declare that the occa- ' sion is excellent in view of the preoccupation of the Frenoh and the British in the West. General von Are, interviewed, said that account must be squared. "The operations in the Trentino will commencp when the snow melts."—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. LAND-GRABBING SPEECHES ■ ANNEXATION OF INVADED PROVINCES DEMANDED. (Rec. April 7, 5.5 p.m.) New York, April fi. The "World's" Rome correspondent states that in contrast to Count Czernin's speech, other Austrian statesmen are making speeches demanding the annexation of the invaded Italian pro-vinces.—-Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. PEACE FEELERS ALLEGED NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN AUSTRIA AND FRANCE (R«c. April 7, 5.5 p.m.) Amsterdam, April 5. A semi-official statement from Vienna assorts that, apropos of M. Clemenceau's denial of the peace feelers, Count Czernin states that he instructed Count Reventera, Councillor of the Legation at Switzerland, to confer with Count Armand, whom the French War Office sent to Switzerland for that purpose. Interviews were held at Flaiburg on February 2. The discussions sought to find a basis of negotiations for a general peace. Count Reventera requested Count Armand to inform M. Clemenceau that Count Czernin was desirous of negotiating with a French representative, and that he believed that success was possible if Franco would renounce her aspirations to recover Alsace and Lorraine. Count Armand later informed Count Reventera in M. Olemenceau's name that the latter could not accept the renunciation of Alsace and Lorraine, and that peaco pourparlers were therefore useless.-— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.