ITALY'S PART.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1916, Page 5

ITALY'S PART.

A COLOSSAL AND COMPLETE VICTORY AUSTRIAN DEFENSIVE COLLAPSES. FURIOUS STREET FIGHTING. ITALIAN ATTACK EXTENDING. Received August 11, 5.45 p.m, Rome, August 10. Dunn": the! bombardment two palaces at Gorizia, occupied by the staffs of two Austrian divisional commanders, collapsed. Bodies were found in the ruins. The Austrian defeat is colossal and complete, perhaps the most disastrous in the whole war. After the fall of the enemy defences at Rabotino, San Michelle, and Podgora, their whole defensive system broke down. Nevertheless they defended Gori/.ia to the last moment, furiously fighting in the streets and houses. Many of the latter were blown up with tha garrisons. The Italians are now attacking eastward of the town, and the roads leading to the eastern heights are covered with masses of enemy corpses. KING VICTOR ENTERS GORIZIA. THE CITY NOT DESTROYED. UNNECESSARY DAMAGE AVOIDED.

Received August 11, 8.15 p.mNew York, August 10. The .Evening World's Ross® correspondent states that King Victor Kmmanue! XII., riding alongside the Bute D'Aosta, entered Gorizia, followed by cavalry and cycle corps. The Duko was with the troaps three days beforo the ,fall of 'he fortress. Notwithstanding the desperate fighting, the city was not destroyed by arti.'erv fire. Many thousand inhabitants had previously evacuated the city, the Italians being particularly caret"ll! to avoid vnnecessary damage to buildings. THE "DEATH PASS." < - The fighting at the bridgehead was oiu o! the most sanguinary episodes of the war, and before the final sortie, the bridge was being named the "Death Pass." A FRENCH PROPHET. GENERAL DEBACLE EXPECTED. BRITISH PRESS CAUTIOUS. v_ CARSO PLATEAU YET TO BE TAKEN Received August 11, 3.5 p.m. London, August 10. Mr. Gustavc Heme, in the La Victoire, says the breaking-up of the enemy has , begun. To-day it is Gorizia, to-morrow ' it may be Lemberg, and then in a few weeks a general debacle. The British press are cautious, but unanimously point out that it is possible that Austria is collapsing, but Germany is still strong. The, Times points out that the great naturally fortified Carso plateau, whereof the lsonzo valley is the moat, must be conquered before Trieste is reached. Paris is excited, declaring that Gorizia was the Austrians' Verdun. DETAILS OF THE CAPTURE. ITALIANS FORD THE ISONZO. WELCOMED BY COUNTRYMEN. GREAT CAPTURES MADE Received August 11, 5.5 p.m. Home, August 10. The Duke D'Aosta had comnmnd of the troops in the capture of Girizia. The first troops forded the lsonzo, the bridges having been blown up. They .marched through the streets with water dripping fiom their uniforms. The inhabitants welcomed the Italians. Thousands of the enemy who had hidden in caves were taken prisoner. It is officially announced that there . are 21,750 prisoners The provision and munitions depots were almost intact. Several batteries of the heaviest calibre were also captured. AVANTI ITALIA! GENERAL CADORNA'S ORDER. . Received August 11, 8.5 p.m London, August 10. General Cadorna's order before the Gorizia light, began was: "You must march like an impetuous, overwhelming , avalanche, nothing stopping you. , Avanti Italian-" ITALIAN RESIDENTS DO GOOD 1 SERVICE. London, August 10. Messages from Gorizia relate that several hundreds of Italian residents, who had been living underground at 1 Gorizia for several weeks, rushed out and greeted their victorious countrymen, 1 bringing flowers and Italian flags from > concealed places. They led the way to ■ other underground caverns, where thoui sands of Austrians, who were in hiding, .were taken prisoners#

ITALIANS PRESSING FORWARD STRONG ENTRENCHMENTS PIERCED. OVER 11,000 PRISONERS TAKEN. . IS AEROPLANES CAPTURED. Received August 11, 5.5 p.m. London, August 10. An Italian communique says: Cavalry and cyclists are pressing eastward of Gorizia. They made many dashing charges, inflicting heavy losses and taking hundreds of prisoners. They 'pierced the strong entrenchments north-east of .San Michelle, near aSn Martino, and also occupied Boschini. Prisoners are still arriving, totalling hitherto 268 officers and 11,072 men. Great quantities of material have been captured, including eighteen aeroplanes from the military depots of Paravaeini and Dorberv. Hostile aircraft bombed Venice Two persons were killed and some damage sustained THE CAPTURED TERRITORY. CADORNA'S TACTICAL SKILL. OFFENSIVE WELL TIMED. ■ Received August 11, II.M p.au Rome, August 11. The, enemy territerv captured by the Italians is twenty kilometres long and five deep. It is semi-officially emphasised that the Austrians especially strengthened Gorizia, which was made a strategic point. The rapidity; of the Italian success was due, not merely to the formidable artillery and the determination of the infantry, but also to the secrecy of the preparations. The Austrians imagined that their invasion-of the Trentino had exhausted the Italians, but General Cadorna, while maintaining the pressure on the Trentino, profited by having inner lines between the Trentino and the Isonzo, and thus was enabled to rapidly transport troops and material to tie Isonzo. He launched his offensive at a chosen moment, with terrible and irresistible violence. AUSTRIAN INDIGNATION. . ARCHDUKE JOSEPH'S RECALL, Received August 11, 5.5 p.m. 1 Vienna, August 10. Vienna is indignant at the fall of Gorizia. It is stated that the Archduke Joseph may be recalled. AUSTRIANS TOO LATE. London, August 10. During the fighting a- large number of Austrians were drowned. They repelled the advance until it was too late to escape by the bridge. After the fall of the bridgehead the entrance to the city was comparatively easy. AUSTRIA'S LITTLE FAIRY TALES. Received August 11, 5.55 p.m. Amsterdam, August 11. An Austrian official report states; Owing to the situation arising out of the evacuation of the bridgehead, the town of Gorizia was given up. After a sanguinary repulse of fresh Italian attacks on the Doberda plateau, the required straightening of our line was carried out without hindrance. We took 4100 prisoners in this region during the past, few days. We were unable to save six guns when the Italians entered Gorizia. The enemy's strongest efforts on the 9th, were directed against the Plava sector. Four attacks were made on Zazcorzn, and three on the heights eastward of Plava, but they broke agains' our firm resistance. In retaliation ior the Italian battle-plane attack that was made on i'Hime twenty-one Austrian aeroplane:* bombed the aisenal. railway station and military objects at Venice with ravaging results, tons of bombs being dropped. Our aeroplanes returned unharmed. ALLIES' MUNITIONS POOL. Rome, August 10. it is reported that the Allies are about to institute a. common fund to purchase munitions abroad and to manufacture munitions at home.