The Odanah star. [volume] (Odanah, Ashland Co., Wis.) 1912-1916, 1915-05-28
FIVE ITALIAN PORTS
ARE bOMbARDED
EmmanueI's Troops RepuIse
Land, Sea and Air Attacks.
3 SHIPS ARE DESTROYED?
Duke D'AbrUzzi's Fleet Wins First
Battle-Venice Arsenal Shelled
Armies Clash on the
Border.

Vienna (via Berlin and Amsterdam) 4,
May 26.-Italy has struck her first
blow against Austria by throwing a
force of cavalry across the border near
Strass, in the Austrian Tyrol, accord
ing to an official statement made pub
lie. The war Office also announces
that minor engagements took place in
the Tyrol and on the Adriatic coast of
Italy.
Rome, May 26.-Fighting on land,
on the sea and from the air between
Italy. and Austria was begun at four
O'Clock Monday morning before half
the world knew that Italy had de-
clared war.
In each case the doubtful advantage
of having assumed the offensive rested
with Austria-doubtful because in
each case the attack was defeated by
the troops, warships and aeroplanes Of
Italy, according to an official state
ment, the first of the war, given out
on Monday by the war office.
1t is reported that the Italian fleet,
commanded by the duke of Abruzzi,
engaged the Austrian .leet that bonn
barded Ancona, 40 miles south of
Venice, earlier in the day and that
three small Austrian ships were sunk
and two captured. The war office
statement makes no mention of this
engagement. The statement says:
1t was foreseen that on the declar-
alton of war offensive actions would
occur against our Adriatic coast with
the purpose of seeking moral effect
rather than attaining military pur-
pose. But we were able to prepare for
these and render their duration short.
Small naval units of the enemy,
especially destroyers and torpedo
boats, fired their guns upon our Adri-
attic coast between four and six o'clock
in the morning. At the same time aero
planes attempted to attack the arsenal
at Venice.
"The enemy's ships, after a short
boats to withdraw. The enemy's aero
planes were fired upon by our antiair-
craft artillery and attacked by our
aeroplanes and a dirigible flying
over the Adriatic
The aeroplanes attacked porto Cor
SIM, witch replied Immediately and
quickly obligeC2Ne enemy to retire.
AT Ancona, where the attack was d.
rected against the railway line, in the
intention of interrupting communion
tion, slight damage was inflicted,
which can be repaired easily.
At Barletta an attack was made by
"a scout steamer and destroyers, which
were put to flight by one of our ships,
which was escorted by torpedo boats.
Finally at Cesi the enemy's aeroplanes
attempted to throw bombs upon the
hangers but without reaching the
mark
The official statement shows that
the Austrian aeroplanes swept prac-
tically the entire Adriatic coast of
Italy From Venice, at the head of the
Adriatic, they sailed $50 miles south
to Barletta, dropping bombs en- route.
Barletta Is 1875 miles north of the
southern entrance to the Adriatic.
Porto Corsini is the seaport of Raven
na, 6S miles south of Venice.
AS a result of these activities re-
port is current that the court is to be
moved from Rome and installed in the
Pitt palace in Florence.
The explosion of bombs in Venice
caused great excitement, and it was at
first reported that the Austrian fleet
had arrived to lombard the city.
The bombardment lasted two hours.
The warships then steamed south,
hurting shells at other coast towns.
The first real land battle of the war
took place in mountain pass be-
tween Pont Ponte di Legno and Pejo,
where the Italian Alpine chasseurs
drove the Austrian invaders back
through the pass.
An Austrian aeroplane, which flew
across the Alpine ranges, attacked
Varenna, on the east bank of Lake
Como, but was driven off by high
angle guns and an Italian dirigible.
The German and the Austro-Hun-
garian representatives at the Vatican
are leaving Rome, having intrusted
the interests of their countries to
the Spanish ambassador in Rome.
Lieut.. Gen. Count Luigi Cadorna,
chief of staff of the Italian army, has
left for the front. He was accom-
panied by Duke d'Aosta, cousin of
King Victor Emmanuel.
Great headquarters will be estab-
Ilished at Bologna. The court will be
moved to Florence