ITALIAN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, Issue 220, 27 August 1917, Page 5

ITALIAN FRONT.

THE ITALIAN ADVANCE. j OVER 20,000 PRISONERS. j LONDON, August 24. An Italian official report states: "The battle continues. We repulsed violent counter-attacks. Our prisoners now total 20,000 men and 500 officers. We have captured also 60 guns. Our aeroplanes bombed massed troops and communications. The enemy persist in fruitless attempts in the Trentino. WHOLE AUSTRIAN FRONT THREATENED. ROME, August 24. Mount Hermada was attacked by our forces on all sides and is isolated. We continue to pour in fire from five hundred cannon and thousands of machine guns. The Austrians recognise that it's' fall will probably cause the collapse of their entire front. .AUSTRIANS BADLY DiSORGANISED. j TERRIBLE LOESSES. _____ ROME, August 26. Sir Percival Gibbon says the x\ustrians are badly disorganised by the ; violent frontal attacks, trying to stave off the paralysing blow at Hermada Hill. The British guns assisted in reducing the formidable lines at Selo and Costagnavizza wftere machine gun s bristled every six yards. A whole page is insufficient to catalogue the Italian booty. Selo was tenaciously contested, the dropping with fatigue after three days' battle. They bombed their way through stone heaps, formerly houses of Selo. The defenders were mostly Hungarians, who suffered tremendous slaughter, corpse s lyng thickly in t. streets, poisoning the air. i " I ITALIANS' GREAT GUN-POWER. BIG CAPTURES BY ITALIANS. i ROME, August 25. It is estimated that 65,000 Austrians were put out of action during the first four days of the offensive. The Austrians assert that the Italians have 9000 guns on a 90 kilometres front. MILAN, August 25. Enemy correspondents at the front agree that the battle is the most desperate yet fought on the Italian front. Prisoners say that reserves are pouring in from aid quarters. General Ho'ltzendorff has assumed command of the Austrians. The Italians captured large stores of guns and ammunition at Selo. The Austrians tried to remove but the Italian gunners shot the horses. Then the gunners tried to remove the guns by hand, but the barrage cut them off and nearly all were prison ered. Italian air supremacy remains unchalflanged. The sky swarms with Italians, while sccarcely an Austrian is seen on the Italian side of the fighting line. An Italian official message says: The tricolor has flown since yesterday on the summit of Monte Santo. The second army troops are pursuing the retiring enemy on the Carso front. Fighting continues at Caproni. We bombed the Chipovano valltey. ROME, August 24.

Entire 'Austrian first line defences, and in some places the second and ■ third lines, have been broken, Night fighting is occuring in many sectors under powerful Searchlights. Prisoners ' condition testifies to the Austrians' inferior equipment. Many, are half-famished. General Conrad has assumed-'' command on the Carso and General Warm has been wounded or recalled. The Austrians have brought up fresh divisions, including large numbers of sailors. PURSUING RETREATING AUSRIANS. LONDON, August 25 Italian official. — The Second Army broke the enemy defence at several points. The Austrians are defending every yard of their l'etreat over difficult ground. The" Italians are Closely pursuing them. Airmen are flying low in the Chiapovano Valley, which was crowded with troops, repeatedly bombing the infantry. HOTLY PURSUING THE v AUSTRIANS. Received 1.35. LONDON, August 26! The High Commissioner reports:'— Italian official: After the capture of Monte Santo, we are now continuing our advance towards the eastern borders of Bainisizzo Plateau, hotly pur suing the enemy, who is making stubborn resistance.

.THE ITALIANS MARCHING ON. 'IOO,OOO AUSTRIANS OUT OF ACTION. Received 9.20. LONDON, August 26. The Italians captured fresh positions all along the front. The Austrians have abandoned others fearing envelopment. ROME, August 26. The Austrian lines for sixty kilometres are crumbling, and the Italians are*marching to a definite objective. Fully 100,000 Austrians are out ofaction. The Idea Nazionale says the population of Trieste became frantic over the Carso battle, and at the sound of the bombardment violently rebelled, and soldiers fired on the crowds, killing hundreds. AUSTRIANS IN A BAD WAY. ROME, August 25. Fighting at Hermada is very fierce. Thousands of projectiles are splintering rocks and shattering caverns. A hundred aeroplanes aire dropping bombs. 20.000 Austrians have been without water and food for five days in the rock inferno. ANGLO-ITALIAN .MONITORS' FINE WORK. ROME, August 25. The "Tribunals" naval correspondent pays a tribute to the excellent work of British and Italian monitors in the Gulf of Trieste. The vessels threw hundred's bf (heavy on vital Austrian defensive works. The Austrians admit that the Italian navy has beaten all records with heavy guns Whilb the Carso struggle was proceeding, Anglo-Utalian monitors, escorted, by numerous torpedo-boats, anti-sub-marine motor boats and aeroplanes, proceeded to the Gulf, dodged minefields and opened fire ,on Rove-.ci. Hermada and Trieste docks. Meanwhile Italian aeroplanes bombed the Austrian fleet, goading Austrian airmen into the air, but the flatter funned fight. The Austrian «:ommander, finding Trieste within range of the n=-w Italian guns, ordered tie a;rmen to' destroy the monitors at nil costs, The * Austrians then ascended ami threw bombs without result. THE "BONNET ROUGE" AFFAIR. SURPRISING DEVELOPMENTS. Received 855. PARIS, August 26. A surprising development has occurred of the so-called "Bonnet Rouge'' , affair. Almeryeda, late editor of the "Bonnet Rouge" newspaper was recently arrested on a charge of possessing a secret document, committed suicide mysteriously in prison. Many officials were cashiered and reduced for negligence. Duval, .manager of the "Bonnet Rouge," who was simultaneously arrested on the Swiss frontier on a charge of trading with the enemy and since on a charge of treasonable relations with the enemy. The police found a compromising cheque on Duv- , al, but returned it to him after photographing it. The Chief of Police has now been dismissed. The "Liberte" states that Almeryeda has conferred in Switzerland with the notorious Austrian financier Rosenberg, whose operations ate partly responsible for the second Balkan War. AUSTRIAN .EMPEROR'S VISION OF PEACE. LAUSANNE, Aug. 25. The Austrian Emperor, replying to a Croatian delegation, described his peace efforts, and said he was confident the end of th ewar was in sight.