ITALY.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 November 1917, Page 5

ITALY.

ITALIAN FRONT MAINTAINED. DESPITE VIOLENT ATTACKS. A COUNTER-ATTACK MADE. A'.is. ami N.Z. Cable As*oe. and Router. Received Nov. IS, .1.5 p.m. London, Nov. 17. Italian official: Wo maintain our front, from the A'iago plateau to the Piave. Despite intense fire and violent attacks, wff resisted and counter-attacked, taking prisoners and retaining all our positions. Artillcrying continues across the Piave.

NAVALS DO GREAT WORK. REPULSING AND BOMBARDING KNEMY. THEY SAVED PRECIOUS WAR MATERIAL, Received Nov. 18, 5.. r i p.m. London, Nov. 17. An Italian semi-official report speaks of the fine discipline and perfect order characterising the retirement of the naval parrisons on the right v.-in p. They saved precious war materiel, which now confronts Uie enemy in the new positions. They repulsed attempts at crossing below Revedoli. The Italian naval forces are constantly protecting the flank, and repeatedly bombarding enemy rafts iittenyiting to cross the Piave.

ENEMY DESPERATELY ATTACKING. DOGGED ITALIAN DEFENCE. A MASSED ATTACK ANNIHILATED. VENICE RAPIDLY EMPTYING ART TREASURES r^Mi'YttV Times Service, lieceived Nov. 19. 5.5 pin, London, Nov. 17. i[i - . Jeffries writes from Italian headquarters flint the enemy is desperately attacking, and that the Italians are doggedly resisting 1 whore they fought great defensive battles in 1010. amid Hie last resting places of their comrades. They are determined not to yield these tombs or allow Die enemy to force an entrance to the plains The enemy is using fresh reserves, and piving no respite. The- Italians, by almost annihilating the massed attacks at Monte Couso, threw back an entire division. Alonte? Fior, C'astel and Gomberto. the main bulwarks of defence, remain firm.

Venice is rapidly emptying, only i!O,000 remaining. All the removable art works have gone, ducal palaces having been stripped, and most of the shops closed. The remaining inhabitants are cheerful and confident. British monitors are participating in Hie defence of the Piave, bombarding the enemy at the river mouth, ARRIVAL OF ALLIES.

NUMBERS INCREASE DAILY. I FRENCH MARCH OVER THE ALPS. | MEN IN HIGHEST SPIRITS Received Nov. 18, 5 5 p.m / London, Nov. 17. Mr. Ward Price reports that each day Anglo-French reinforcements reach Italy in greater numbers. Some of the French, In order to relieve the congestion on the railways marched across the Alps, through ]m?e? already covered with snow, ii'peating Napoleon's achievements Those who have already arrived are taking their appointed places in the Italian scheme of defence. The frenchmen an delighted with t'i,c change of scene. The British are in high spirits in their new adventure, singing the latest songs. One might think they were coming to gather the fruits of a ready-made victory. and not to make a desperate effort to help in retrieving a defeat. The Italians are ;i:rprised at the Britishers demonstrative cheerfulness, and the towns are receiving them well, the Scotsmen m kilts having their invariable success. THE INTER-ALLIED COUNCIL. STRONG INTER-ALLIED COMMAND PREFERRED. Received Nov. 18, 5.5 p.m. 1 London, Nov. 17. The Daily Telegraph's Rome correspondent states that the newspapers, in commenting on the new war council, disclosed a feeling that Italy was unanimously in favor of a strong inter-Allied command, instead of an inter-Allied board of consultation on)v.

GERMANS CLAIM SUCCESSES. Received Nov. 17, 8.15 p.m. London. Nov. lfi. A wireless German official report states: We captured several hill positions north-eastward of G;illio, on both sides of the Brenta valley. 'We also captured Cihmon. There is intense artillerving on the lower Piave. The Hungarians took a thousand prisoners on the west bank near the sea. AN AUSTRIAN CLAIM. Received Nov. 18, 11.20 p.m. Amsterdam, Nov. 17.

Austrian messages state that detachments of the Austrian fleet fired on Italian troops and hntteries in the Piave Estuar'-