ITALY.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1918, Page 5

ITALY.

FAILURE OF OFFENSIVE. SUCCESS OF COUNTER-ATTACKS. i Rome, June 17. The Corriere della Sera's correspondent says the Austrian assault on the first day succeeded only in gaining some positions in our advanced line. These small initial successes were wiped out by the counter-attack. The Italian, British, and French troops on the Asiago plateau offered steadfast resistance, throwing back dense wave after wave of attackers. The barrier of the plateau is intact. The newspapers assert that the explanation of the failure of the offensive is found in the complete success of the counter-attacks. It is significant that no Germans, Bulgarians, or Turks participated in the attack. The failure is expected to produce seriou3 internal consequences in Austria—Aus, N.Z. Cable Assoc. London, June 17. Wireless Austrian official: We captured an enemy position on the Piave and are astride of the Oderzo-Treviso railway on. a wide front. We gained possession of the defensive works on the eastern edge of Montello and penetrated to the high road. Prince Schoenburg was wounded by a shell and taken prisoner. On the Piave 10,000 were captured with 50 guns. In our first assault astride the Brenta we penetrated the third enemy positions, taking 6000 prisoners. We partially maintained our gains. The enemy recaptured Rainiero mountain, eastward of the Brenta, and forced us to evacuate a portion of the captured territory in the Sette Communi district. We captured Dosso Alto, near Riva, and stormed Dorno-di-Cavento, in the Adamello region.—Aus. JT.Z. Cable Assoc. and Renter. London, June 17. The Premier (Signer Orlando) states that the Austrians who crossed the Piave were driven back with heavy losses. —Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. The Austrians claim that 15,000 prisoners were captured at Camporile.—Aus. Cable Assoc. Paris, June IT. M. Hutin says: The two days* battle gives an impression that the Emperor Karl has sustained a reverberating check, which may shortly be transformed into a colossal defeat. Although the enemy engaged with sixty divisions he did not read a single objective. A FLUCTUATING BATTLE. VAIN ENEMY" EFFORTS. London, June 17. Rome official: The determined resistance of our troops prevented the enemy tweaking through. The battle is proceeding on the whole line from the Alps to the sea witih alternations and fluctuations, but the Italians' valiant counterattacks have succeeded in re-establishing the original line. The Austrians furiously renewed their assaults against the rocky walls of the Brenta Valley, hoping to force a way through to Bassano, which was the first day's objective. But their efforts were vain. The onslaught on Monte Grappa was also brought to a standstilL The enem/s infiltration across the Piave followed the bombardment quickly, profiting by gas and smoke clouds. Our counter-attacks pinned the enemy to the banks of the stream. A battalion of the 96th Austrian Regiment crossed in boats in the Molina-Seger-Sette-Tuttol sector, profiting by islands in the centre of the river. A second battalion also tried to ; cross, !but the Italian fire mowed down half of them in midstream and nearly a thousand survivors were captured. ALLIES' COUNTER-MEASURES. THROW BKBMY INTO CONTUSION. Received June 18, 735 p.m. Rome, June IT. Italian war correspondents state that the <iato of the enemy's offensive was fixed for a week ago. The Italian command was prepared for the enemy's movements, and they never escaped observation, even in bad weather, though large movements of troops were carried ont with the object of diverting attention from the real points of attack. The Italian-Franco-British artillery counter-preparation began at midnight, before the enemy preparation started, and the Allies' artillery fire was so rapid and accurate that the enemy's lines were thrown into confusion. Even the infernal fire of two thousand' Austrian guns failed to silence our artillery. The enemy's first waves consisted of Czechs and Slovaks, but their losses were so heavy that they were withdrawn to the rear. The Prineysad effort was entrusted to General Chenchemeil, who was ordered to descend by the Brenta Valley to Bassano, while General Kirchbaeh's army was ordered to cross the Piave, j aiming at Treviso. Austrian heavy guns I shelled towns and villages far in the | rear, three hundred gas shells falling in Treviso alone. —Reuter. A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. FALLS FAR SHORT OF ACHIEVEMENT. Received June 18, 5.5 pjn. London, June 17. General Maurice writes: The Austrian main attack in the mountains was on either side of the Brenta, on a front of twenty miles, with the object of securing issues to the plains by way of the Brenta and Astico valleys. If the attack had been successful the Italians would have been compelled to fall back from the Piave in the most difficult circumstances for fifty miles, across the Brenta, to a longer and less secure line befcind the Astico, Involving the abandonment of Venice and Padua. Therefore the complete failure of the attack in this geetor is of the highest importance The Austrian attack across the Piave is less vital It appears to be divided into two parts—the first against the Montello ridge, and the second against the lower Piave. They crossed the Piave at the foot of Montello, font their progress so far has been insignificant.— IMa ANN

ARTILLERY BATTLE DIES DOWN. TOE ENEMY REORGv„ . |iii& iteceived June 18, 7.45 p.m. London. June 17. 9.30 p.m. British-Italian official: The artillery battle has died down, the enemy reorganising after his severe defeat. Captured maps show the enemy's objectives to have been moat ambitious, in. eluding the capture of Mt. Pau a,nd Cimadieronte. Our prisoners are now 710. The booty includes four mountain guns, forty-three machine-funs, and seven flame-throwers. Considering the severity of the bombardment anil the intensity of the fighting our casualties are of the slightest. Our airmen on Saturday and Sunday dropped over 300 bombs and fired over 25,000 rounds on troops and transport attempting to cross the Piave. Italian official: Following Saturday's heavy losses, the enemy on Sunday limited his action to hindering with intense fire our own and allied counter-offensive. The latter, however, were able to gain partial successes and rectify the line at several points. , He battle proceeded with, extreme violence along the Piavo. The enemy, heedless of his losses, continued his powerful pressure in order to extend the occupation of Montecello, and thereby open the way to the plains. We strongly engaged the enemy on the line Ciano-Montello crtpst-St. Andrea, holding our positions on the river 'between St. Andrea and Fossalto, also effectively opposing his advance before the bends of the f?t. Dona. We and our allies have nwv prisonered 4500, including 261 by tSie Freneh. Fortyfour hostile aeroplanes have b«en downed in two dayß. Received June 18, 5.5 p.m. London, June 17. Renter's correspondent with the British army in Italy, on the 18th, interviewed a high British officer, who expressed himself in every way satisfied with the result of the Austrian attack against the British. Our airmen on the Piave broke up at least seven bridges and fired 25,000 rounds at a low altitude.—Renter. BREAKING THE HINGE. THE ENEMY'S VAW EfIFORT. Received June 18,1L20 pjn. . Condon, June 18. Mr. Ward Price states that the most important attempt by the Austrians to cross the river Piave was at the Montecello sector, because that point represents the hinge between the mountain and the Piave sectors. The latest reports show the fighting on the British front .was more successful than first accounts indicated. The enemy has so far engaged twenty-nine divisions ont of fifty-nine . Received June 18, H2O p.m. Washington. June 17. Diplomatic despatches from Italy state that the Austrian plan is to smash the Italian defences in the Brenta region, capture Bassino, and simultaneously cross the Piave, capture the railway junction at Treviso, and trap ft© Allies between gij.nt pinchers.

THE ITALIAN MORAL. NEVER SO SPLENDID. AUSTRIA URGED BY GERMANY. Received June 18, 9.35 pjn. London, June 17. Reuter's correspondent learns from an Italian military source that all past losses of material have -been made good, the munition factories working magnificently. The troops have been highly trained and reorganised. They are better fed, and have been granted increased pay and insured in case of death, and provision made for reinstating the injured in civil life. Consequently the spirit of the army is splendid, and higher than ever it has been. It is Relieved the forces of the belligerents are about equal in number. The opposing divisions are about the same, although Austria has larger reserves. It is also believed the present offensive has been forced upon Austria by the German high command owing to pressure from the German people, despite the knowledge of the existence of disaffectiomjn fie Austrian army.—Press Assoc." AN EMOTIONAL SCENE. SOCIALISTS' SOLIDARITY IN THE NATIONAL CRISIS. Received June 18, 7.55 p.m. Rome, June 17. An emotional scene took place in the Chamber of Deputies when the Socialist leader, Signor Turati, proclaimed the solidarity of the Chamber in the solemn crisis. "In the face of death knocking at Italy's door, we feel," he said, "that many judgments must be altered, and we offer the Government the Italian Socialists' assistance." The deputies rose in a body and cheered wildly. Signor Bissolati em•braced Turati.—-United Service. USUAL AUSTRIAN CLAIMS. Heeelved June IS, 5.5 pjn. London, June 17. Wireless Austrian official: We maintained on Sunday, against violent attacks, the Brenta mountain positions which we captured on Saturday, and advanced westward in the Montello region. We wrested more ground westward of Sandona and captured Capoule. Our prisoners on the south-western front now number 12,000.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Asscc. and Reuter. PEACE OFFER REFUSED. Washington, June IT. Official cables from Rome state that Signor Orlando, in a speech, said that Italy had refused Germany's offer of "an honorable peace."—Aus. N.Z. Cable Association.

ENERGY OF THE ATTACK. 'DETERM3MEID COUNTERMB]ASU!RES. - ADSRIAfisB THOROUGHLY DEMORALISED. Received June 18, 9.35 ipm. June 17. > Mr. Ward Price writes that the large number of on the •Itatlian sector indicates the energyof the attack and the determination with which it was countered. Most of the ground gained was along the Piave, where tlio enemy made three principal crossings, and 'established three bridgeheads preparatory to (blinding the artillery and aeroplanes with vast quantities of smoke-shells. Both river and trenches were enveloped in a dense, Mack fog. The Austrian patrols hurried forward in boats and rafts, and then pulled over reinforcements in pontoons. The most notable crossing occurred at the important Montecello sector, where the (Piave leaves the mountains and enters the Venetian plain. The insults on tho British sector were better than were at first reported. Earlier resistance exiiaasted four enemy divisions, whose casualties are estimated at five thousand. Ours were comparatively trifling. We ijj-isonered seven hundred, and captured many guns. Our patrols are constantly collecting abandoned war material. The"enemy is thoroughly demoralised. His doficieniies in comparison with the British were more evident than ever btfore. Apparently, there are only fifteen fresh divisions availafble for the continuance of tho disappointing enterprise. The French flung hack the enemy easily after a .brief attack adjoining the British sector.—Traifia Service.

THREE AUSTRIAN ARMIES. WHOLE OP EFFIGTENT TROOPS. GAINS VERY SLIGHT. Received June 19, 1,50 ajn. iLondon, June 18. Italian semi-official: Seventy-one of Austria's ninety-tiro mobilised divisions have already been identified, constituting the whole of Austin-Hungary's effl. cient troops. The eneiiy is employing all bis available artillery and air craft. No fewer than 7500 guns were in action. Three Anstro-Hnngarian armies were engaged under Field-Marshal von Neownn, namelyj Von Scheutchenamel's army between the Astico and the Piave, Archduke Joseph's at Montello, and von Wurma's on the lower (Piave. Thousands of bodies cover the ground in the mountain sector, nnil are becoming heaped along the Piave. The gains, after two days, were very slight compared with the objectives assigned for. the first day. Captured orders urge the necessity of capturing the fortified area, with a view to reaching Italian supplies. They also provided instructions for an army living on the country's resources and for personal pillage.—Aus. RZ. Cable Assoc. and Renter. ATTEMPT TO ADVANCE. ENEMY HELD EVERYWHERE. Wellington, Midnight, June 18. The High Commissioner reports from London, under date June 17, &30 p.m.: v Italian official: At Asiago and Grappa enemy action was limited. In the Mantello sector the enemy, despite losses, endeavored to advance towards the plain, , but was held everywhere. NIPPED IN THE BUD. AUSTRIAN NAVAL ENTERPRISE. Received June 18, 5.6 p.m. Rome, June 17. The Giornale d'ltalia says that the Austrian naval division which Captain Rizzo broke up when he torpedoed the Szent and Istvan was proceeding on a. mission to bombard Touen, on the Adriatic, in conjunction with the land offensive.