Arizona republican., 1916-02-13
GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY BUSY / MAKING MAPS IF EUROPE

as strategists have pointed out, are fought in the plains. The invaders of Italy, from Hannibal and Hasdrubel to Francis I, of France and Napoleon, found ways over the Alps for their ar mics. In all ages the Trentino leading to the Brenner pass, has been a chan nel of communication between the re- gions north and south The pass was traversed by armies no less than 43 times between the years 951 and 1251, and Francis I. crossed it three times in one month"
 Turning to the recent fighting. Dr. Freshfield said: "The beginning of the war found the Austrians firmly plant ed on the summit ridge. From this point round to the Gavia pass twenty miles of continuous glacier clothe a crest the gaps in which do not fall be- low 10000 feet. In old warfare gla- ciers had their terrors for soldiers But in the present war, the spread of mountaineering, the introduction of the ski, and the systematic training in France and Italy of mountain regi- ments. have led to constant fighting above the snow level. The troops have put to use the skill learned in ire uuent mountain maneuvers. In the Ortler group there is hardly a pass traversed in the last fifty years by mountain climbers which has not been made use of by these intrepid mili tary raiders
 The Italians starting from Val di Zebru have skirted over peaks of 1 900 feet, making what the Ger mans call a creat- climb, assailing the Austrians on the top of the Stelvio and destroying a climbers hut on the south ridge of the Ortler. The Austrians have crossed the glaciers east and west of Monte Cevedale at the door of the Konigspitze. But, however adventurous. these eXcur- sions and alarms have led to small practical results beyond the loss of certain number of lives and the detention of the enemy forces. The fighting round and about the Tonale pass, the gap between the Ortler and the AdamellO snOws, has been more serious, but here again no advance in force has been made by either side.
 On the northern flank of the To- nale pass the Italians climbed, and dragged artillery onto the Montoz- 20 ridge. 5000 feet high. Along the main Adige valley certain ad- vance has been made. The frontier town of Ala has been occupied, and the forts of Roverto assailed and damaged. The Altissimo has been gained, and from it's brow the Al pini look down on Lake Gardo and the towers of Riva Turning to the frontier of Trentino. we find that Austria has abandoned two Of her outlying districts, apparently without fighting, to the Italian advance. The red. white and green floats on the campaniIe of Cortina and on the ruins of san Castrozza above Primero. East of Trent. near the snowy Marm- ola da. the queen of the Dolmite Alps, the Italians have shown pro- digious energy, hoisting guns on the most difficult heights; on both sides sturdy hill climbers have vied in stalking one another among the noun tain fastnesses, applying to warfare the methods of chamois- hurting. On the whole, however, Dr. Fresh field concluded that the Italian cam paign had been limited to defensive, General Cordona's object being to repel possible attacks on Lombardy or Ven netia, issuing from the Trentino high l lands.
 The foregoing are only a few eX- tracts from President Freshfields ad- dress Sir Maurice de Bunsen, British ambassador at Vienna up to the time of the break, and Lord Bryce, former ambassador at Washington, were among the society members who heard it. and both paid a high tribute to its geographical detail based on Dr. Fresh 1 fields experience over these mountain passes.
 1 Lord Bryce also let it be known thai e ad ad some experience as mountain climber in this same region and he related his personal observa- tions there and at Mount Locheven 1T Montenegro, two centers of recen fighting.
 When we were wandering along tho line of mountain passes north Of ven ice" he said, i've came upon spot the top of one of these passes-I think it was the Predil-where. according tt