Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-06-29
ITALIANS ADVANCE
TO SOUTH OF R|VA
Make Gains West of Lake
Garda Despite Enemy's
Reinforcements.
ROME'S FORCES STILL
SHELL MALBORGHETTO
Resort to Parabolic Fire With Bat.
teries Concealed Behind
Mountains.

LONDON. June 29.-The advance of
the Italians has been very slow, but II
1t is to be entirely stopped more Aus
trian troops must in all probability be
transferred from the Galician line. un-
less Austria is willing to surrender the
seaport Of Trieste. Trieste. however.
being the first important milestone on
the road to Vienna, 1t no doubt will be
defended to the last gap.
Enter South Of Riva.
Despite the Austrian reinforcements
along the whole frontier. the Italians
have entered the Austrian territory
south Of Riva. on the western side OF
Lake Garda, through the Nota VII
passes, about 5000 feet high: descended
the precipitous cliffs of Carone noun
tain, over 5000 feet high. entered the
Legro valley. and reached the Ponaie
river, according to Brescia dispatches.
from Lake Legore. which has an altitude
Of 1000 feet. to the shore Of Lake Gar
da. whose altitude Is 700 feet.
This river has waterfalls at which Is
produced the electricity used at Riva.
the only important town on Lake
The same electricity is used by the
Austrians for charging their wire en-
tanBlements.
Reach Spot Near Bezzeca.
The Italians. 1t is reported. reached a
spot near Bezzeca, where in 1866 the
Garibaldians defeated tho Austrians
Thus the Italians occupied part OF the
road, excavated in rock. uniting Rfva
with Storo and Brescia- This road was
finished in 1881 and Is one OF the best
examples of it's kind existing. On the
mountains dominating this road,
short distance from Riva, Austria has
constructed a whole system of fortin-
cations, the strongest being those on
the Rocchetta and Orc peaks. which
are some 5000 feet high.
Malborghetto Bombarded.
The bombardment of MalborEhetto
continues. This laconic phrase has
been repeated daily since the lombard
ment of the Austrian positions just
west of Jarvis began. Juno H. To un-
derstand its meaning one must realise
very heart of .precipitous mounfains
which rise between the Italians ana
Austrians like a titanic wAH.
The work accomplished by the Ital-
ians in this region is described ny the
cyclopic. A special road has been built
for the transportation Of artillery to
the peaks for the bombardment OF NAL
borghetto. Donkeys and mules were
used for carrying the guns, ammunition
and provisions and 1000 mountaineers
and even women climbed the heights
with packs on their shoulders.
Batteries Behind Mountains.
When everything was ready the Aus
trians bombarded the road and made
the italian positions untenable. The
Italian gunners then decided to bonn
bard Malborghetto by parabolic fire.
and placed their batteries behind the
mountains where the Austrians could
not see them.
With the assistance of signalers on
top of the mountain the Italian gun
ners, in the presence of King Victor
Emmanuef and the members Of the
British military mission, began a bonn
bardment of the position. The first shot
fell 500 yards wide, but the second
went very near and struck what the
Italians call Austria's Thermopylae
Enthusiasm on the Italian side was in
describable. The king shook hands
with the officers directing the gunnery
and he also was warmly congratulated
by the British officers.