Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1915-06-01
SHELL |TALY's PORTS
AUSTRIAN LAND, SEA AND AIR
ATTACKS REPULSED BY
ITALIANS.
DUKE D'ABRUZZI WINS FIGHT
Three Austrian Ships Reported Sunk
Francis Joseph's Aviators Begin
HostIIities by Attacks on Adriatie
Coast and Bombardment.

Vienna (via Berlin and Amsterdam F.,
May 26-Italy has struck her first
blow against Austria by throwing q
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-
cIared 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.
It is reported that the Italian fleet,
commanded by the duke of Abruzzi
engaged the Austrian feet that bonn
barded Ancona, 140 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 foTeseen that on the declar-
ton of war offensive actions would
occur against our Adriatic coast with
the purpose of seeking moral effect
rather than attaining a 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 enemys ships, after a short
cannonade, were forced by our torpedo
boats to withdraw. The enemy's aero
planes were fired upon by our antiair-
craft artillery and attacked by our
aeroplanes and by a dirigible flying
over the Adriatic.
THE aeroplanes attacked Porto Cor
SIM, which replied Immediately and
quickly obliged the enemy to retire.
At Ancona, where the attack was d.
rected against the railway line, in the
intention of interrupting communica-
ton, 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 enemys 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 125 miles north of the
southern entrance to the Adriatic.
Porto Corsini is the seaport of Raven
ma, IS miles south of Venice.
AS a result of these activities a 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 1t was at
first reported that the Austrian feet
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 a mountain pass be-
tween Point de 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 Cardona,
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-
lished at Boulogne. The court will be
moved to Florence.
A dispatch from Basel quotes the
Wolff Bureau. the official news agency
of Germany, as saying that the Ger
man government has declared war
against Italy.