New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-18
Attempt at Surprise At
tack on Allied Squad
ron Fails.
AUSTRIAN TORPEDO
BOAT SUNK BY FOE
Forts Reply Vigorously to the
Bombardment-Several Killed
in Previous Assault.


Milan, Oct. 17.-Operations against
the fortified area of Cattaro has begun
in earnest, and for the first time in the
course of the protracted siege there is
a real prospect of success. The Monte
negrin lack OF artillery has been reme-
died, guns have been dragged up the
precipitous paths which alone give ac-
cess to the crest Of Lovchen, and Wig
orous bombardment been begun by land
and sea.
According to telegram from San
Giovanni di Medua, the allied fleets
early in the week did not fire shot,
but cOntented themselves with scour-
ing the Adriatic in search OF vessels
carrying cOntraband. They resumed
the bombardment for a few hours on
Wednesday, but serious operations
were not begun till Thursday evening,
when forty warships attacked the out
er ring Of forts. The forts replied
vigorously, while the new guns at
Lovchen flung hail of projectiles on
the Austrian positions. The lombard
ment continued all night, apparently
without result. The number of war
ships engaged is obviously much ex-
aggerated, unless there are included
the torpedo craft, which could, Of
course, take no part in the lombard
ment of land fortresses possessing
guns of even moderate range.
A wireless message was received on
Wednesday, announcing that Austrian
torpedo craft were cruising along the
Dalmatian coast watching for an OPP
portunity to carry out surprise at
tack on the allied squadron. Six French
vessels, detached to engage them, came
up with the Austrian vessels. The Aus
trians steamed to sea at full speed and
managed to elude their pursuers, ex-
cept one torpedo boat, which was cut
off and resisted courageously with fee
BILE guns, but none of her shots did any
damage TO the French ships. She was
struck many times by heavy prOjec-
tiles and sank with all hands.
In order to make clear the nature of
the operations at Cattaro il may be
we'll to describe the geographical po-
sition of the fortress. Cattaro does
not, like most fortified places, lie in
the middle of ring of forts, but on
the extreme right hand or in The
northeastern corner 1t is approached
from the Adriatic by an arm of sea
known as the Bocche Cattaro. It is
surrounded by high mountains north
and east and lower hills south. 1t is
famous as one of the loveliest spots in
Europe. This ford consists of three
large irregulsrly shaped bays, con-
nected by narrow straits known as the
Bay of Topla, Bay of Teodo and Gulf
of Cattaro.
At the head of the last named sheet
of water lies the town of Cattaro itself.
AS the crow flies, Cattaro is only FIVE
miles from the Adriatic, but vessels
passing through the Bocche have to
cover about twenty miles. The en-
trance of the Bocche lies between forts
on a spit of land called Punta d'Ostro
and the Island Rondeni Along the
coast due north of Punta d'0stro are
two more forts, and three near Castel
Nuovo, on the Bay of Topla. The re-
mainder of the outer ring of forts lies
on the hilly peninsula at the right of
the entrance, between Teodo and the
Adriatic. The best known of these is
Lustica. the destruction of which al
ready has been reported and denied.
OF the inner forts six are situated on
the Peninsula between the Bay of
Teodo and the Gulf Of Cattaro and the
remaining two some miles north, one
close TO Perasto, at the foot of Mount
Casson, and the other a few miles in
land. An official account of the bonn
bsrdment of the forts on September 10,
published in Vienna, says the lombard
ment was carried out by two French
batteships, three cruisers and four
ether vessels. Punta d'0stro was
struck once. Nine or ten shells fell
close to the wireless station at Klinci,
the Austrian casualties being two men
seriously wounded. The forts Lustica
and Punta dOstro each claim to have
struck a French ship.