ITALIAN FRONT.

Taihape Daily Times, 28 November 1917, Page 5

ITALIAN FRONT.

SENSATION IN ITALY. p ' ■ TRAITOROUS SPY ARRESTED. VITALLY IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS SEIZED I Received 8.3. ROME, November \27. T&ere is great excitement over the arrest of ex-Senator Cavalani, also the self-styled Marchesa Ricca, on charge of espionage.. Documents of a serious nature were seized in Ricca's residence including many from Caillaux and his wife, who were intimate with the prisoners. BRITISH IN ITALY. A MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE. MILES OF MEN AND GUNS. fin THE POSITION REVIEWED". ROME, Novemher.{27. , Eeuter's correspondent ' at_kalian Headquarters, on the 26.th,'.f describes the magnificent spectacle of British troops marching through Italy, comprising cavalry, artillery, and infantry, extending over' the roads for miles, with all of..the army following. Infantry were marching steadily for days, sixteen miles a day, equipped "with a great number of guns and accompanied by endless lines of lorries, carts, pontoons, and other accessories of a complete army. Describing the Italian position, he says the enemy is vigorously pressing at three points; first at Tomba Mountain and Montefenra, the latter being a spur of the Tomba. The crest has fallen but the heroic defence has ren--1 dered the situation stationary. Behind Tomba and Montefenra supplementary defences are in preparation -which will minimise the loss of Tomba and Montefenra if they fall, although any considerable advance here might result in a focring of the Piave. The second point of attack is Sammarfrus on ;*he Brensta. third point is the Asiago Plateau, especially at Mount Meleta, where the enemy maintained a steady pressure among the snows for a fortnight. Thanks to the grim determination of Italian infantry, the enemy's attempts have been defeated.

British forces are eager to get into the fight, and the Austro-Gefmans may soon be unpleasantly surprised. "THE SNOW COMES.'' ENEMY ATTACKS HAMPERED. LONDON, November 27. Mr. Ward Price reports: Snow has come at last. The mountains are covered with a whirling blizzard of snowflakes, which will soon be deep drifts, making further movement of German artillery most difficult. Thus the next few weeks will be a period of re-organisation for both sidesT enabling the Italian resistance to be strengthened. The British marching columns are upon terms of growing friendship with the Italian populations. Campfire concerts are the delight of the Italians

TERRIBLE WEATHER CONDITIONS. LONDON, November 26. Fighting continues in terrible weather, 10 degrees below zero. The severity of the enemy losses is confirmed. The twenty-first Sohnetzen regiment and the thirty first Landstrumers were practically annihilated. Six entire enemy divisions between the Brenta and the Piave had to be withdrawn and reformed. At one point two German regiments were engaged in a terrible struggle with each other before the mistake was discovered. ENEMY DESPERATE ASSAULTS REPULSED. I Hiiiiiiipwwii i*iiiiuiiim„ROME, November 27. Italian official.—Enemy masses again attacked between the Brenta and the Piave. On the left wing,an attack on Monte Pertica was promptly* Crushed. Our counter-attack repelled every fresh enemy attempt. The Alpini, annihilated their assailants at The enemy's pressure was strongest at the centre, but was definitely repulsd. We took 200 prisoners.