ITALY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 June 1918, Page 5

ITALY.

ENEMY ROUTED. Re-crossing The Piave. Closely Pursued. Received June 24, 5.5 p.m. London, June 23, 8.40 p.m. The enemy, in disorder, is re-crossing the Piave from Montello to the sea, closely pursued.—Renter. Received June 24, 11.30 p.m. London, June 24. 2.30 a.m. Italian official: From Montello to the sea the enemy, defeated and pursued by Italians, is recrossing the IPiave in disorder. RETREATING PELL MELL AUSTRIANS ABANDON THEIR EFFORT. Received June 23, 11 p.m. London, June 23. The latest reports from Rome indicate that the Austrians have abandoned their effort westward of the Piave. They are retreating pell mell and hastily con structing bridges across the river. Rome, June 24. The Austrian claim that they have taken 40,000 prisoners is semi-officially contradicted. The truth is that this figure represents the whole Italian casualties, which, compared with the length of the front and the effectives involved, is very small.—Press Assoc. AUSTRIANS EXHAUSTED. LOSSES EXCEED 200,000.

HALF THEIR GAINS GIVEN UP. Received June 24, 7.1C p.m. Rome, June 23. The enemy appears to be exhausted. The territory now occupied by the Aus. trians is less than half that gained during the first few days of their attack. Their total losses now exceed 200,000. Press Assoc. PRESSURE ON ENEMY. BRITISH SURPRISE ATTACK. ENORMOUS ENEMY LOSSES. Received June 24, 9.40 p.m. London, June 23. Italian official: Our artillery continues to bombard the enemy intensely on the whole front. The infantry continued their pressure at Montello and the Rave. The British, in an energetic surprise action, broke into the enemy's lines southward of Asiago and killed one hundred, besides taking 31 prisoners. Our airmen bombarded tie enemy's communications and downed 10 aeroplanes. The enemy has lost, since thft loth, 95 aeroplanes. Italian semi-official: Reciprocal artillerying is still intense along the Piave, while attacks and counter-attacks to assume tactical advantage are proceeding. The first phase of the great battie, however, has terminated. It has been full of defeat for the Austro-Hungarian armies, which have not succeeded in reaching any of their objectives. On Montello and in front of San Dona the enemy sacrifices were enormous, entire regiments being destroyed. The enemy losses were at least 180,000, without gaming even the indispensible initial success of some dominating height, as suring a crossing of the Piave.—Aus.

N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Reuter. THE AUSTRIAN VERSION. COMMUNICATIONS INTERRUPTED. Received June 24, 9.40 p.m. London, June 24. A wireless Austrian official message states: The fighting on the Piave is less violent, and the enemy has only resumed

his counter-attacks on the southern wing of our front. Heavy rains have multiplied the burdens and privations of our troops. The Piave 13 becoming a rushing stream, communication between the banks being often interrupted for several hours. We Rre experiencing the greatest difficulties in providing the front with necessities, munitions and provisions.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc, and Eeuter. ITALIAN NAVAL SUCCESSES. AUSTRIANS SUFFER SEVERELY. Received June 24, 5.50 pjn. Rome, June 23. In the Senate, Admiral del Hono (Minister for Marine), referring to the recent naval successes, said the Austrians within a month had lost two, possibly thTee, battleships, besides other smaller vesels damaged severely. This blow would be increased if they added the loss of the battleship Wien in the port of Trieste, also the damage and IOS 3 inflicted on lighter surface craft and submarines. It was remarkable the number of submarines that had been dealt with.—Renter.

75,000 MEN FLEEING,

Disastrous Effect on Enemy's Morale. Received June 25, 2.30 a.m. London, June 24. Newspapers estimate that 75,000 are Involved in the disorderly flight. The debacle is certain to have a disastrous effect on the enemy's morale, and most serious internal consequences in Austria-Hungary.—Press Association. A STIRRING SPEECH. OFFENSIVE NOT A FAILURE BUT A DEFEAT. Received June 25, 12.6 a.m. Rome, June 24. Signor Orlando, in a stirring speech in the Senate, said the Army had .been confronted with the most formidaWe ta«k of the whole war. Despite the enemy's numerical superiority, attacking almost the whole of our seventy-five-mile front, the Italians had victoriously succeeded in •withstanding the onslaught. A fresh battle may soon re-open, but, without boasting or excessive optimism, they were entitled to be well satisfied with the feeble results secured, in view of the enemy's ambitious objectives. He could say the offensive ■ ty.is fir had ended not in failure but in defeat. Signor Orlando paid a glowing tribute to the Anglo-French, and declared that the nation also owed a debt of gratitude to the heroic defenders of the

Piave.—Press Assoc. ITALY EN FETE. CELEBRATING THE GREAT VICTORY. Received June 2t5, 2.5 a.m. Rome, June 24. Rome is en fete in connection with the great Piave vctory. The city s beflagged, and other cities celebrated the success by patriotic demonstrations, particularly in Venice, which is no longer threatened. A COMPLETE DISASTER. FOR THE AUSTRIAN ARMS. GREAT INTEREST IN ENGLAND. Received June 26, 12.65 a.m. London, June 24. Further news from the Italian front j is awaited with the keenest interest. Military critics accept the accuracy of the report that a complete disaster has overtaken the Austrians between Montello and the sea, pointing out that their failure to gain the indispensable initial successes in the nuxnntain sector* rendered the crossing of the Piave insecure, j Communication across the river from the outset was only maintained with difficulty.

The news that the retreat has begun gives added significance to Austria's gloomy communique regarding the difficult condition of the Piave. It is generally believed that the communique is intended to pave the way for worse tidings.

General Maurice says the news from the Italian front is better and better. The Allies have every reason to feel cheered and encouraged by the stubborn defence which has succesefuly foiled Austria's greatest effort, and left the enemy only a few miles of marshy, low land and a precarious footing on th| Montello Ridge, in exchange for long casualty lists. But the latest information show 3 that General Diaz (Italian Commander-in-Chief) has passed from the defence to attack, and is in a fair way to convert the defeat into a disaster. Baron Sonnino recently stated that General Diaz employed only a small part of his available reserves in holding up

the enemy attacks. Received June 25, 1.45 a.m. , London, June 24. It is now evident that he has been able to bring into action some of the remainder of his reserves. Under the most favorable conditions, the Piave is a mountain river, which, when it enters the plain, opens out, and hag an average width exceeding a mile. Normally it is of little value as a military obstacle in the summer, but heavy rain in the mouni tains completely changes its characterThe Italians cut the timber along the upper courses, and when the river rises these form Battering-rams which n* temporary military bridge is able to withstand. If any escaped, they have been a target for the airmen. Therefore, it is impossible to relieve or reinforce the Austrians on the right bank, who have been only fed and supplied with ammunition with the greatest difficulty, if at all. The Italian counterattack has been delivered just at the right moment, and has met with very real success. If the promise of the latest report matures, as there is every reason to expect, then it will be a golden opportunity for the Allied propaganda and diplomacy. The Daily Telegraph's Milan correspondent states that the failure of the Austrian offensive is now officially recorded, but the Italian troops were firmly convinced from the outset that the battle would be won. This encouraged them in the counter-attacks and diminished the importance of Austria's minor gains. A FLIMSY AUSTRIAN EXCUSE. Paris, June 23. Austrian news, via Switzerland, attributes the defeat of the offensiw Czecho-Slav treachery. A Viennese newspaper decl&sgij - traitors supplied the Italians -wttli u plan of the offensive.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. > FAILURE Of'oFFENSTVE ADMITTED Washington, June 22. Official despatches from Europe say that German newspapers tacitly, admit '

the failure of the Austrian offensive, and declare that it was necessary to prevent Italian troops going to France to reinforce the Allies on the West front. —Aus. N.Z, Cable Assoc. Rome, June 23. Many experts consider that the main Austrian offensive is on the Piave river, and they declare that the Intelligence Bureau had early and precise information to that effect, enabling a timely concentration of the Italian reserves.— Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc. London, June 23. The Daily Chronicle correspondent at Milan states that Signor Orlando, in an interview, said that the British commander on the Asiago plateau superintended personally the burial of 5000 Austrians in that sector. The enemy losses at Monte Grappa and Montello, and especially along the Piave, were terrific. Nevertheless, the Austrians' spirits were remarkably high. Officers were now marching at the head of their troops instead of following in the rear. One haul of 2500 prisoners included 20 officers.—Aus. N.Z. Cable Assoc.