Italy

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 43, 25 May 1916, Page 5

Italy

t COT BLOW IN FIRST. ALLIES’ OFFENSIVE ANTICIPATED. FRANCE AND ITALY TO BE WORN DOWN. 1 Unit*!) Phsm Association. (Received D.lO n.m.) Rome, May 24. Semi-official.—The Austrian offensive in the Trentino, coupled with Germany’s fierce onslaught on the Verdun front, is interpreted as a resolute attempt to prevent the Allies simultaneously taking the offensive in all theatres. The Central Powers are striving to exhaust France and Italy s and, | relying on the momentary respite from j Russia, hope that when Russia, is ready to take revenge, France and Laly will be wearied and will need rest.

i AUSTRIAN OFFENSIVE. EIGHT DAYS OF BATTLE. 1 Rome, May 24. ! It is pointed out that the Austrian offensive synchronises with Italy’s declaration of war. Three Slavs deserted on May 14 and approached the Italian trenches and stated that the attack would begin the following day. 'The Italians were uncertain where on the 350 miles of frontier the blow would fall until a bombardment of incredible violence began. Scores cf 12in. guns were suddenly revealed at 'dawn mounted on Austrian crags overtopping most of the Italian positions. Two thousand cannon were assembled > of every calibre from mounted artillery to 16in. guns, which swept over j the valleys, while swarms of aeroplanes soared over the Italian lines ‘correcting the range by wireless. 1 When the Alpini recovered from the first shock they found a vast network ; of' trenches, -patiently constructed during months, obliterated. The infantry [onslaught began in the evening, when the mitrailleuses cut down hundreds advancing in dense formation. The entanglements were' heaped with dead. The battle raged incessantly for eight days. The Alpini defended every foot, fighting ahvays in the show. Already there are eight thousand Austrian dead. The Italians have thus far resisted the attempt; of the

.enemy to smash through ami pour .down towards Verona. The Austrians I are now occupying a small strip of Italian soil between Mount Maggio and Tonezza. Italy is strengthening a third line of defence, but it is believed Mount Maggio and Tonezza j will prove the extreme limit of Austrian penetrations * tt Ti* AUSTRIANS CLAIM MANY PRISONERS. ; An Austrian’communique fclaims * »'- total capture of 23,883 Italians, including 482 officers 1 and 172’ guiis. Fmthor progress is claimed south of the • Tyrol front, and they claim occupation of Cimamadriolio and a height westward /of the frontier. REASON FOR THE OPERATIONS. New York, May 24. According to a Rome message, the I Minister of War, after a protracted I Council of War, issued a statement in I regard to the military situation which is developing against the Austrian offensive, and which, it is declared, will leave the Italians in a supreme position. He said there was expectation of a general movement against the Austrians on other fronts, especially in the Balkans and Russia. Besides these contemporaneous attacks, others were expected to be sprung by Italy’s allies in France. ( Military critics advise reconstructing the Italian front and abandoning ■ the far advanced position, in order to be better able to repulse the Austrians’ forward movement. Several indications confirm the statement that the design of the present strenuous campaign of the Austrians is to pievent Italy from participating on the French front, also to paralyse the action aiming at joining the Salonika and Avlona forces in a simultaneous effort. Anothtr message states that the Austrians transferred to the Italian front a number of 380 and 420 millimetie guns taken from warships bottled in the harbor at Pola. AUSTRIANS FROM ALBANIA. Paris, May 24. The Athens correspondent of Le Matin says that according to a neujtral diplomat just arrived from Alabama, the Austrians have withdrawn 50,000 troops from Albania in the last three weeks, leaving small detachments to guard the towns they occupy. The abandonment of the Albanian front is ascribed to the impossibility of bringing up food supplies. i • TOOTHACHE INSTANTLY STOPPED i Send now to the nearest chemist nr store for a bottle of Barraclougb s Magic Nervine. Use it immediately—that raging toothache will cease instantly. Magic Nervine cures quickly. It kills the nerve, the aching cannot return. It saves you the pain of extraction and the loss of a tooth. Heie is prompt relief—get Magic Nervine now. Price Is. Rhciimo cures Rheumatism quickly. Progaudra is a sure cure for Corns.