ITALY.

Taranaki Daily News, 27 October 1917, Page 5

ITALY.

THE GREAT BATTLE STARTS. ANGLO-FRENCH AID ITALIANS. New York, Oct. 25. Cable advices report that a great battle is raging on the Bainsizza Plateau. Twenty new divisions of Austrians are partaking in the offensive. Cieneral Cadorna has been reinforced by English and French troops. ITALIAN LINES PENETRATED. POWERFUL ATTACKS CHECKED. London, Oct. 25. Italian official: The enemy launched a strong attack after a most violent bombardment, especially between Mount Rombon and the northern edge of the Bainsizza. plateau. We resisted, but more southward the encmv penetrated our advanced lines on the left bank of the Isonzo and crossed the river at St. Marin and St. Lucia. Wc checked powerful attacks westward of Yolnik, also on the western slopes of Sangabride. ENEMY'S CUTE MOVE. BAINSIZZA GAINS MAY BE JEOPARDISED. Received Oct, 27, 2.15 a.m. London, Oct. 26. The Daily News' correspondent recently at the Italian front, says the main blows of the Austro-German attack fell in the neighborhood of Plezzo and Tolmino, where the Italian advance had been least marked since the Isonzo campaign commenced, thus being the shortest cut for a raid into Italian territory for the purpose of impressing the German public. Opinion unfortunately points to South Tolmino being important strategically, because if the enemy push down the right bank in the heghtis to the water's edge, the recent Italian gains on the Bainsizza plateau must be jeopardised. The strip of country skating the river lends itself to defence, and General Cadorna has not been surprised, so there are good reasons for hoping that General Cadorna will soon bring the attackers to a standstill. ITALIANS FULLY PREPARED. SCENE IN ITALIAN CHAMBER. Received Oct. 26, 8.10 p.m. Rome, Oct. 25. There was an enthusiastic scene in the Chamber when the Minister for War (Signor Giardino) called attention to the fact that Germans hud joined the Austrians in a heavy onslaught. He said: "The Italian armies are fully prepared. Our losses in the August offensive were remarkably small. It is difficult to know whether the AustroGerman attack is political or military. Whatever may happen in Russia or elsewhere, the enemy will never tread our sacred, inviolable soil." WHOLE AUSTRIAN ARMY ATTACKING. ITALIAN RESISTANCE FORMIDABLE. Received Oct. 20, 10 p.m. London, Oct. 25. Correspondents on the Italian front state that Austria is attacking with almost her whole army and with important German units. The enemy artillery has been reinforced by several hundred guns. Nevertheless, the Italian resistance is formidable, and the means at the Italians' disposal are greater than those of the enemies. Moreover, the enthusiasm of the Italian troops is immense. WHAT THE GERMANS CLAIM. , London, Oct. 25. A German official report says: The Austro-G-crmans attacked on a thirtykilometres front on the Isonzo, and penetrated the Flitch Basin and Tolmino over-running strong positions in the first thrust. The Italians fought desperately. Tho fighting proceeds. Wc took prisoner by the evening 10,000, including divisional and brigade staffs, and captured rich booty.