PROGRESS OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 232, 19 June 1918, Page 6

PROGRESS OF THE WAR

To-day's reports emphasise- the severity of tho defeat suffered by tho Austrians in their attempt to break through the Italian line. On tho mountain front which screens tho Italian northern flank, tho enemy apparently has practically nothing to show for the tremendous losses he sustained. ' An unconfirmed report credits Ifc Austrians with the capture of Col Caprile, a height north-west of Mount Asolone, which closely flanks the valley of the Brcnta on its eastern side. But with this exception the Allied liue seems _t,o have been everywhere maintained. The Austrians have established bridgeheads at some points west of the_ Piave, notably at the Montello Ridge, where ' the Piavo emerges from a gorge into the low country, and farther south where the Piavc is crossed by a railway at a point, about midway bcflwcen the mountains and the sea. But though tho enemy has crossed the river reports indicate that he is firmly held. * * * * Apart from the operations on the main front, the Austrians fay claim to the capture of detail positions farther west, at the head of Lake Garda, and in the Adamello region. The latter locality is on the western faco of the Trcntino, considerably-1 south of the Tonale Pass, where the enemy a fow days ago suuorcd a heavy _ local defeat. Mcantimo operations in these western passes assume minor importance, but their actual importance depends upon the extent to which the Austrians have been able to augment and improvo the inadequate transport facilities which formerly oxisted in the Western TrentinO. If tfcfy have made good use of their time in roadmaking and similar activities the western passes may demand careful watching on the part of the Italians. , * # * In one of to-day's messages a Beutcr correspondent observes that the forces of the belligerents in the Italian theatre are believed to be about equal,_ and that the number of opposing divisions is about the same, though Austria has larger reserves. Making every allowance for the transfer of Austrian divisions from llussia, this statement is astonishing in view of what has hithorto been made known regarding Austrian and Italian numerical strength. \Vnat information is available would suggest that the sixty Austrian divisions said to ho engagod in the present battleabout 840,000 men—constitute a very large proportion-of the total forces at the disposal of tho Dual Monarchy. Italy, on the other hand, has. something like threo million mon_ under arms. One. of her 'Ministers announced months ago that she had at that date mobilised more than four million men. The correspondent's statement about reserves is even more surprising than his remark that tho forces now opposed are about equal. A couple of months ago, Mr. George Barnes, Labour .roprescntafive in the British War Cabinet, stated that Austria had available for use during 1918 reserves totalling 850,000 men. His estimate, however, assumed that the Austrian 1020 class would comprise about _ 400,000 recruits, and this is certainly a heavy exaggeration. _ It is simply incredible that Austria is better off in the matter of reserves than Italy. No finality can be reached in regard to this question of numerical strength, hut unlcs? a very considerable part of the Italian Army has been transferred to a strategic reserve at the disposal of tho Allied Generalissimo, it seems impossible that tho account given by. the correspondent quoted of tho balance of numerical 1 fitiength oil the Austro-Italian Iront can be even approximately : correct. Mere numbers apart, U counts for a good deal that while ' •the Italians arc fighting in excel- ' lent heart the opposing forces arc heavily handicapped by racial dis- ; cords 'iiid simmering disaffection. <