ITALY.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 July 1918, Page 5

ITALY .

n k.;- - L-, jT'£ • THE POSITION EXPLAINED. ITALIAN PROSPECTS VERB FAVORABLE. i DIFFICULTIES OP AN ADVANK3E. Rewired June 30, SJS p.m. London, June 20, The Italians in the present fighting have taken about 20,000 prisoners. As the enemy had sixteen infantry and two cavalry divisions on the right bank of the Piave, and seeing that they had to sacrifice their rearguard in order to withdraw to the left bank, their losses are not excessive. The Austrians can rightly claim that they extricated themselves from a perilous position. The Italian prospects are very favor•M#, but the Austrians have been reinforced, and are now offering a strong resistance in country which is verj marshy, particularly when flooded. The Austrian troops that were proceeding from Buda Pesth to the Balkans hav* bwn diverted to the Piave front. The Austrian offensive failed mainly because they attacked on too broad a front, and were therefore strong nowhere. The Austrians believed if they broke through anywhere they could get the Italians on the flank, but the Aiutrians merely penetrated a short disand were easily held up by the Italian reserves. Minor reasons for their non-success were the inferior ar< tillery shooting, tlie low morale of many of their unit.® and there being no element of surprise for deserters disdosed the day and the hour of the attack. In some respects the Austrian mo/ tbods were similar to Germany's, not. ably th* way in which they brought up troops on the day preceding the attack and the use of troops replacing those that initiated the attack. The "offensive differed, however, from the German method of concentrated force on one point and breaking through. The defeat will have a serious effect on the Austrian morale. The actual military result is that Austria has suffered heavy lot<es and her offensive power for a time i? ended. It seems unlikely that she will renew it without help from Germany Italy is unable to exploit her victory, and the relative position of the combatants remains as before. We must njt look for any great eomter-offensive, as the situation offers a peculiar difficulty to the Italians. An attack on the mountain front would have the advantage of protecting the Italian left flank, but the advance would be slow An offensive on the Piave would be difficult and hazardous, while an advance eastward would increase the length of the line and render the left flank still more vulnerable. The Italian strategic position throughout the war has been unfavorable. It was false strategy to have attempted an advance on the Isonzo until they hal secured their left flank. The Italian position always left the Germans free to paralyse Italian efforts by concentrating in the Trentino ITALIAN OFFICIAL. Received June 30, 5.5 p.m. London, -Tune 29. An Italian communique states:—Onr seaplanes bombed the quays and hangars at Durazzo with good results on the 28th and 27th. All our machines returned endamaged. We drove down an enemy aeroplane, which returned after attacking our own torpedoer.—Aus.-NZ. Cable Assoc- and Reuter.