Evening star., 1915-06-04
Gen. Cadorna Declares Opera
tions Against Austria Are
Proceeding Everywhere.
STILL HOLD MONTE NERO
IN FACE OF ATTACKS
King Victor Emmanuel's Men Men
ace Tolmino, Which Is Obstacle
to Advance Across 1sonzo.

| LONDON, June 4-Italian forces arc
everywhere pursuing their successiuA
| operations against the Austrians, accoro-
ing to Gen. Cadorna. Italian CHIEF OF
staff. The Austrians are strongly
intrenched and supported by po"eriu VI
| artillery. The Vienna war ONCE STATES
that the Italians have bombarded AUS
! tr1an Notifications at several points
without success
Fail to Dislodge Italians.
Austrian troops have made repeated
efforts to dislodge the Italian forces
which have succeeded in establishing
themselves on Monte Nero ridge, across
the Isonzo river, along the front nortn
of the Gulf of Trieste, according to
Udine advices. The Italians are still
! in possession of the ridge.
The advance Of the Italians across the
Isonzo has been accomplished in the race
Of unusual difficulties
| In consequence of heavy rains, II
| was impossible to ford the 1sonzo. ex-
cept for detachments OF cavalry, whose
| horses swan across the river. En-
| gineers, protected by artillery. con-
| structed pontoon bridges for the In
| fantry.
Meet Many Hindrances.
| Once the troops had reached the
further bank OF the river. still greater
difficulties were encountered. The rain
| had transformed the mountain paths
| into beds of swift running streams.
Water pouring down the mountain
sides uprooted trees and obstructed
progress at every turn. The few noun
| tot hrjd Let q AnStrlAnS
carried away by the floods. Rest Tor
the troops was impossible. as the
rocky mountin sides were 100 exposed,
while the valleys. knee-deep in water,
| were Unsuitable for camping places.
Thick fog hung over the whole region.
| making it impossible to see for any
distance.
Progress was slow, but the invaders
made their way up the mountain side,
taking with them heavy artillery, am
munition and transports with supplies.
They occupied Drezenaca, Cosec kar-
freit and oher smaller villages below
Monte Nero, and finally obtained pos
session of the ridge.
Communication Maintained.
Regular communication, with the
base on the right bank of the Isonzo,
I has been maintained, including q te1e-
phone line over which the commander
at Caporetto has been Immediately In
formed of each attack by the Austrians
in their efforts to dislodge the Italians.
Monte Nero dominates the whole
Friuli valley. Possession of this ridge
enables the Italians to menace Iol-
mino from the rear. This town. to-
gether with the batteries recently CON
structed on Santa Maria and Santa
Lucia hills presents one OF the most
| formidable obstacles to an Italian ad-
vance across the Isonzo at that point
| Monte Nero also commands the val
| leys leading to the northeastern part or
| Isonzo- -Plezzo district. having on its north
Predil pass, which, strongly fortified, pro-
tects the road to Jarvis. The Italian oc-
cupation of this ridge is thus connected
with the action which, from the Racco-
| lana and Dogma valleys, threatens the
| Seebach valley leading to Predil-
Austrians Withdraw.
The Austrian troops are withdrawing
| from their positions along the Fiemme
valley (part Of the valley of the river
| Avso to the northeast of Trent), accord
| ing to Verona advices.
| They have virtually destroyed the health
| resort of San Martino de CastroZza. This
Village contained eight large hotels, six
| belonging to Germans and two to
! Italians.
| The achievement of a detachment of
| Alpine mountaineers in capturing an
intrenched Austrian position in a defile
| of Val Inferno, near the head of Val
| Dagno has been noted by the ministry
| of war. The detachment was led by
| lieutenant, who was wounded during
| the assault, but who continued to di-
| rect his men until the position was
| captured. King Victor Emmanuel him
| self pinned the military medal on the
wounded lieutenant's breast.
Towns Are Rejoicing.
| The inhabitants of the towns of Ala,
Avio and Borghetto were overjoyed at
| the arrival of the Italian troops, for
Wholesale acquisitions by the Austrian
authorities of the food supplies had
| reduced the people almost to the verge
| of starvation. The first act of the
| Italian general in command was to is
sue to the inhabitants 5000 rations of
| bread and 1000 rations of -four.
| There are still posted on the walls
| the Austrian proclamations ordering
| the people'to remain within doors be-
tween 8 o'clock at night and in the
morning, and imposing other restric-
| tions, on pain of severe punishment.