New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-12-20
U. S. GUNS SPEED
ITALIAN VICTORY,
NOW HALF WON
Barrier to Trieste and
Trent Slowly Yields to
Dual Drive.
NATION CONFIDENT
ARMY WILL CONQUER
Ammunition from America and
Japan Aids Onslaughts Up
Snowy Peaks.

Rome, Nov. 23.-Italy has 100000
men in the war and is preparing to
add another million. About a million
men are on the fighting line, stretched
along the mountains from Trentno, In
the west, to the Austrian stronghold Of
Gorilla, in the east
Another million is in reserve for
emergencies and to fill gaps in the
tons in the Balkans. The third mill
ion is represented in the additional
classes in process of being assembled
during the coming months.
The military operations are best un-
derstood by taking map Of Italy
showing the northern frontiers. The
Alps sweep in a great semi-eirele, from
the French frontier on the Mediter-
ranean TO the Austrian frontier on the
Adriatie. This sweep of the Alps from
west to east is sort of natural bull
wark or boundary Of Italy, separating
it from the nations and races to the
north now, as it did in the days Of an
cient Rome.
Two Breaks in Natural Barrier.
But In two places this natural sweep
Of the Alps is denied deeply to the
southwark, first in the Trentino region
in the west, and then in the Trieste
region Of the upper Adriatic. Thus, the
natural boundary of the Alps is broken
at two vital points, and Austria, by
stretching down at both these points,
has firmly established her political
sway. Austrian control of Trentino
dates from the time of Napoleon, and
of the Trieste region froi the war Of
1866.
The first object. therefore, Of Italy's
campaign is to get back the two prov
inees and reestablish the great noun
tain range as the strategic defence
against the nations of the north. This
main objective has divided the cam
paign into two parts in the west,
with Trent as the centre, and the other
in the east. with Trieste as the chief
object Between 100000 and 100000
men are engaged in the western opera
tions centring at Trent, and about Co.,
600 men in the eastern operations, di-
rected toward Trieste.
The main drive of the Italians has
been in the eastern section, toward
Trieste, the great Austrian port Of the
Adriatic lying just across from Ven
ice. This rich prize is hardly more
than ten days march from the Italian
frontier. Also, there is stretch of
level country fifteen miles wide around
the upper Adriatic. making it easy
from the frontier TO Trieste
And yet the war has been going on fof
six months-since May 23-and the
Italian army is nowhere near Trieste.
The military leaders say Trieste
could have been taken any time in if-
teen days-but it could not be held,
as the Carso Mountains sweep around
back of Trieste and from a circle ff-
teen miles back from the Adriatic, with
Austrian batteries posted at every
crest of these encircling mountains.
The Italian commanders, therefore. de-
cided that, instead of taking Trieste,
II was q military necessity first to con-
troll all the approaches and mountain
defences sweeping around Trieste.
Most of the fighting in this region
has been along the Isonzo River, with
the Austrian town Of Gorilla as the
main poin. of attack The Italian
troops made rapid progress at first,
sweeping through small towns. But as
they moved up the lsonzo River toward
Gorilla they found the Austrian bat
teries on the mountain tops. And then
began the slow and tedious process OF
first gaining control OF all the elevated
positions which could serve the Austri-
ans before pressing forward on Go
rizia and Trieste.
This has required the movement of
troops along mountain roads and the
carrying Of heavy guns to great
heights by means of special machinery
devised by an Italian automobile con-
Germ.
Austrians Kept from Italy.
The Italian commanders express sat-
isfaction with the progress they have
made in the last six months. All the
fighting and all the progress has been
on Austrian soil, and no Austrian
troops have at any time entered Italy.
The matter of ammunition has proved
the same check on the Italians as IL
has on the other Allies. They found
soon after the campaign opened that
they were making only one-ffth as
much ammunition as they were using
up. This put a check on any real
fighting, and resulted in the resort to
preliminaries Of mountain and trench
warfare. The ammunition output has
been increased, but IL is still far short
OF requirements, though supplies from
America and Japan are beginning TO
fill the gap.
Summing up what has been done IN
these two campaigns and what IL means
in places captured, men engaged, cas-
ualties, prisoners, etc, the situation is
about this: In the east the Italians
have advanced from twenty TO twenty
five miles on Austrian territory, or
about halfway 10 Trieste. and have
taken twelve or more rather important
towns, notably Grade, Monfalcone, Ora
dsca, Cormon, San Pietro (fanking Co
rizia), Plano, Caporetto, Monte Nero
and Plezzo, far up on the lsonzo, be-
sides many lesser places.
In the west the Italians have ad-
vanced about twenty miles on Austrian
soil and have taken the main town OF
Rovereto, halfway to Trent, and nu-
merous lesser towns and strategic
points. In all these operations the
Austrians have really not been making
a fight, as they are too busy in Russia
and the Balkans, and the Italians have
been on the offensive, with the Austri
ans on the defensive.
Austrian Losses Twice as Great.
The net result in casualties, prison.
ers, etc, is about as follows: Italian
casualties. about $4,000; Austrian cas-
ualties italian estimate), 10000;
Austrian prisoners in Italy, $4,000;
Italian prisoners in Austria, 1900.
While Austrian troops have made no
advance on Italian soil. yet some Of
their air raids have been notable over
the great art cities Of Northern Italy
Venice, on the Adristic. and Verona. in
land where heavy loss OF life and con-
adorable damage have occurred, with
the endangering OF the priceless art
treasures Of those cities.
The naval side Of the war has had
few notable DEVELOPMENTS thus far.