ITALY.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 May 1916, Page 5

ITALY.

ENEMY OFFENSIVE. FURTHER SUCCESSES CLAIMED. Received May 22, 7.20 p.m. Amsterdam, May 21. An Austrian communique claims further successes. It says: We captured the summit of Armenterra ridge, and also the summits of Cimadialgh and Cimadinesole. We drove out the enemy from the Borcola Pass, and we occupied Angtribeni, in the Brand Valley. I GERMANY PAYS THE IHPER. Paris, May 21. Critic attach great importance to the Austrian offensive. They point out that GerWny is providing the money, munitions, and a portion of the men. It is a costly undertaking, but Prussia desires to secure the Teutonic domination of the peninsula, so as to reduce Italy to the level of Central Europe, and thus increase the hold on the country from Hamburg to Constantinople, which otherwise would be insecure. Examination of the Austrian (bullets shows they arc of German manufacture and contain the deadly nitrate of mercury.

AUSTRIAN ASSAULTS - BROKEN. \ "CRUEL AND HEAVY LOSSES." CONFIDENCE OF THE ITALIANS. Received May 22, 8;20 p.m. Rome, May 22. A semi-official statement says: What the Austrian boast of as definite successes were inevitable progress in their first, offensive, but the history of all offensives in the war show that tliey are inevitably followed by long and exhausting checks. All the Austrian attempts have been broken, and they have suffered cruel and heavy losses. We regard the development of the present operations with full confidence.

FIERCE ATTACKS. (HELD UP BY ITALIAN St Received May 22, 9.20 p.m. 1 Rome, May 22. A communique says: After a bombardment by the enemy on Bonezugna they hurled three huge masses to the attack, but after a desperate engagement they were driven back with enormous losses. There has been an intense artillery action against our lines from Pasubeo to Terragnolo, and fierce infantry attacks from Astitno to Brenta, which our troops stubbornly held up, inflicting heavy losses and recapturing a number of small forts. ■HEAVY AUSTRIAN LOSSES. ! Rome, May 21. Swiss advices state that the Austrian? in the first three days' offensive against Italy lost 20,000 mill. EFFECT OF BRITISH TRADE RESTRICTIONS. . Milan, May 21. Merchants and manufacturers discussed Britain's prohibition of various imports. Resolutions were carried as to the necessity of the Allies establishing a trade understanding on common interests to the exclusion of their enemies, also urging the -Government to secure at least a partial withdrawal of Britain's prohibition. AUSTRIAN' LOSSES 23,000 MEN. Received May 22, 10.40 p.m Rome, May 2'2. The Austrian losses for the first three days of the battle are estimated at 23,000.