Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-03-30
A J. SHOULD
WAR ON AUSTRIA
New Theatre. Of Conflict on Land and Sea Would Engage Interest
OF Military Observers; s~trategical Geography Of Frontiers.
New York Post)

stegical Geography Of Frontiers,
'rk Post)
directed against Constantinople, for
the Turks are reported to have massed
an army Of 100000 men on the CALI.
poll Peninsula to defend the approach
es of Constantinople. A Franco.Brit.
ish expeditionary force is expected to
take the field against them. Two or
three hundred thousand Italian troops,
or half that many would simplify en-.
ormously the problem Of the allies.
Current references multiply the
number of Italy's available troops. In
times of peace her standing army
numbers about $50 600. Her first and
second reseryesA which ought to be in
the way of mobilizing rapidly, would
bring this figure to something over q
million. Back Of that ltaly's military
resources must be guessed at. Event
Fually her so.called territorial militia
might be whipped into shape, SO that
nearly a million more soldiers are to
be regarded as a potentially. For
these latter the only arms available
probably would be those several hun.
dred thousand o.d-style Vetterli rifles
which Kuerta endeavored to buy for
Mexico. The infantry of the line are
armed with a 6.5 millimetre Mannlich-
er Carcano magazine rifle, and the
field artillery is in process of being
equipped with the Is millimetre De
Port gun. In siege guns, the Italians
are strong. Tests made during the
present month with their now 305 mil.
limetre siege cannon are said to have
demonstrated their superiority to the
famous Austrian gun of like size. A
number of these guns fresh from the
trials at Spezia are ready to be put in.
to commission.
Character Of Frontier.
The character of the frontier which
Austria presents to Italy severely lin.
its the field of military operations, II,
indeed, it does not insure from the
outset 4 deadlock except along the cal.
ley Of the 1sonzo. The ordinary lines
Of communication between Italy and
Austria r. through Alpine passes,
which admit Of defense by handfuls of
troops against armies. Tunnels and
bridges once dynamited would check
an invasion for months. The railroad
route from Verona to Trent, thence
north through the Tyrol by the Bren.
ner to Innsbruck, is the only practi-
cable one for an invading army in
either direction. Along this line the
Austrians have many defenses. Ce.
ment platforms at commanding posi-
tions are even now being utilized in
mounting heavy guns. In addition,
masked batteries are being put in
place to oppose every foot of an ad.
vance up steep defles. Squads Of
Russian prisoners and Galician refu-
gees are reported to be at work al.
ready digging trenches in the Trenti-
no district, where the Italian offensive
is expected. E.NY
Sudden Attack.
This Trentino approach is also that
along which Italy fears a sudden at
tack by a German force, upon one Of
her rich cities of the north. For none
of the other familiar ways into Italy
are open. The road from Turin to
Paris by the St. Gents tunnel leads di.
rectly into French territory. The
Simplon tunnel route from Milan
through the Alps crosses Switzerland,
as does the St. Gothard route from Mi.
Ian to Lucerne, and the preparations
made by the determined Swiss to
maintain their neutrality effectually
bar that way. The Ticino, the valley
through which the last route passes
and which was so often the highway
OF opposing armies in the Italian wars.
is not likely to have a place in the
record of the impending struggle.
To block The Trehtino route Italy
would be able to mass what troops
she has modified with little delay,
and she would be certain to occupy
the narrow mountain passes as her
first move. For, once the Italian from
tier is reached by an invader, the de.
lenses are Of the weakest. True,
there are Notifications at Casale, an
important railroad junction; at Piac.
enza, also a railway center, and the
largest artillery depot in Italy; at
Venice and at Alessandria. There are
defenses of a sort at Verona and Man
tua-which, with Peschiera and Leg
nago. formed the old Austrian uuadri.
lateral used to such good purpose by
Radetzky in 184S-and the basin of
the Pc is studded with fortified places.
But as the commission of 1902 report.
ed, these defenses r very far from
being modern or adequate.
Eastern Frontier.
@.On the eastern frontier, Austria
might force the fighting, were she of a
mind to anticipate Italy's first move.
For the two or three railroad arteries
leading from the heart of Austria and
Hungary emerge from mountain de-
files upon the low coast landS we'll
within Me boundaries of the dual mon.
archy. These plans offer a suitable
theater in which to assemble an army
quickly, and Italy has no defenses on
the artificial boundary line running
down to the sea from the Julian Alps
This very point might we'll be selected
by italy for a forward movement. Rail.
roads Of northern Italy are numerous
enough for a rapid concentration of
troops there by roads crossing the
frontier from Udine and S. Giorgi0 ID.
the district about Trieste. This
movement could be expedited by use of
the very fair high roads leading from
Cividale and Palmanova down into
the Istrian peninsula. With the so-op-
Grafton of an Italian fleet this form OF