ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 January 1916, Page 3

ON THE ROOF OF THE WORLD.

THREE MORE YEARS OF WAR. ITALIAN PREPARATIONS. San Francisco, December 8. Metaphorically, Lieutenant Giovanni Sccagno, of the' Royal Italian Artillery, on a war-munitions mission to America, has knocked the wind out of the sails of the Ford "pence" ship, which designed to carry the millionaire automobile manufacturer and his hundred peace j delegates to Europe and secure peace before the end of the present year. Lieut. Sccagno, in an interview at San Francisco, declared the Italians were preparing for another two or three years' warfare. The gallant Italian officer discussed the difficulties of the Italian advance in the Trentino Alps. He lias been fighting with his regiment in the Austrian Alps, and has come to America to buy shrapnel material—pig iron—for the Italian heavy artillery. ''When we resume our heavy fighting in the Alps next spring we shall require an abundance oi shrapnel," the lientenant explained. "And we find that England cannot supply us, for they want everything for their own armies. So I have come to America, "What is the reason of our slow advance in the Alps?. Why, we are fighting on the roof of the world! And the for.tifi\ ations of the Austrians are immense! Before we can advance one or two yards we bring up our heaviest mountain batteries, om' 300-millimetre guns. These we hoist to the summit of mountains the ordinary tourist either does not climb at all, or, If be is a sportsman, he sets out with guides, ropes, provisions, and what not! It often took us thirty or forty days to bring one of our 300-milHmetres into position, under a galling fire of the Austrians. We hauled the guns up the mountain sides with \vi>'o ropes, through three metres of snow, across glaciers, and alongside precipices. And then the real fighting started." "You expect an early peace?"

"By no means. We in Italy are getting ready for another two or three years' warfare, the same as France and England. Some of the contracts lam negotiating for shrapnel materials are for delivery within one or two years, Germany and Italy are not yet at war—the fight is still between Italy and Austria. Many of our banks, steamship lines and other large concerns are controlled by German capital, and this is why neither has yet declared war. Germany is doing her utmost to persuade Italy not to declare war, But the sinking of the Anoona is a serious matter for Germany, as we know that Austria has no submarines with a wide range of navigation. It is therefore supposed that the Ancona was sunk by a German submarine, flying an Austrian flag, and a declaration of war on Germany will he a very likely result."