TRADITION OF DEFEAT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 170, 24 December 1914, Page 3

TRADITION OF DEFEAT.

AUSTRIA'S ROLL OF DISASTERS.

The Austrians admit defeat in Servia, and this defeat we celebrate by recapitulating the perpetual defeats which Austrian armies have suffered ii wai This record is looked upon as rather an evil omen for Kaiser Wilhelm and his forces. The following is a list of the unfortunate battles in which the flag of Austria went down: — Hilß-lfl4B (The Thirty Years' War). — Austria was defeated by Gustavus lAdolphus at Leipzig in 3031; at Lutzen in 1632. Pomerania was ocenpied by the pnomy, and the Austrians finally beaten by the French, and forced to sue for peace. I(lß3.—Tn this year the Austrians were defeated by the Turks, and the Emperor Leopold fled from Vienna, and sou "lit the assistance of John Sobieski of Poland, and the allies then put to flight the Turks, who gathered round the walls of Vienna. 1707-1710. —This was the war of the Spanish Succession. Prince Eugene of Savoy defeated the French in Italy, and joining his forces with those of Marlborough, he routed the French at Oudenarde in 1708, and at Malplaquet in 1700. 1714. —Frederick the Great dispossessed Austria of Silesia, and after a severe engagement at Mailwitz, put the Austrian Army to flight. 1717.—Prince Eugene beat the Turkish subjects of Austria for a second time at Belgrade. 1755. —Tn the Seven Years' War, Frederick the Great discomfited the Austrians at the battle of Prague. 1757, —The Austrians endured a terrible defeat at Lutzen.

17WI.—At Torgau and at Leiqnitz the Austrians suffered a terrible defeat, as they did in 1702 at Freiburg.

Napoleon, in the latter end of the. eighteenth century, appeared upon the scene, and drove the Austrians from Italy, after his triumpTiant victories at I,odi, Areola, and Rivoh. and four .years later defeated the Austrian forces at Marengo and Montebello. Napoleon's triumph over the Austrians reached its summit at Austcrlitz, when Vienna fell before his advancing forces, and was occupied by the French. For a second time Vienna was captured, in ISO!), after the Austrians had been conquered at Kckmuhl, Aspern, and Kssling. Fifty | years afterward 1 ; eanie the battles of Magenta and Solferino, which drove the Austrians from Italy. Finally, the Seven "Weeks' War, ill which the Austrians were cut to pieces by (he Prussians, commanded by Moltke and Prince Frederick, at Sadowa.