Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1916-01-28
Italian Forces Will Try
to Hold Only a
Single Port.
AUSTRIANS' CAPTURE OF
DURAZZ0 EXPECTED SOON
Naval Battle May Result III
Austrian Fleet Joins in
Aylona Attack.

BY The United Press.
ROME. Jan. 2S.-Albanial. with the,
exception of the port Of Avlpna and
the immediate Hinterand, is being,
evacuated by the allies.
Italian forces hold strongly fortified,
positions at Aylona Heavy Austrian
and Bulgarian detaehments are clos.
ing in upon the seaport from the,
north and the east. They are meet
ing with little resistance. Official dis
patches received here today Indicated
that the attacks on AvlOria and one,
OF the most important bnttles of the,
balkan struggle ma BEGIN within a
fortnight.
The Austrian fleet will In all prob
ability attempt TO participate i'm the
engagement by shelling Avlona from
the Adriatic. In this event an en-
counter with the allies squadrons is
certain TO bring perhaps the greatest
naval fight Of tho war.
Conquest OF Montenegro and the,
capture Of the Albanian towns or
Scutari and San Giovanni di Medua,
by the Austrians made further resist.
ance by scattered Serbian forces in
northern Albania useless. All Ser
bian troops and all Montenegrins and
Albanians who would not surrender.
to the Austrian invaders are being.
transported 10 the Greek island or
Corfu as rapidly as allied Transports,
can reach them. or being movedt
southWard to join the Italians at,
Nalona.
Within tem days: the Austro-Ger-.
man-Bulgar occupation OF the entire,
Balkan peninsula to the Greek FROM
tier, will be- complete. The allies.
hpupNafs 1nta 20
Aylona as they now hold SalonilSi on,
the eastern side Of the peninsula.
Both are strategic. positions of the,
greatest value. They will be re-
tanned at all cost as military andt
naval bases from which future cam :.
paigns Tor the conquest or the iostr
countries win be directed.
! The Italians already have evacuat-
ed Durazzo, or are about TO, do so..
Announcement Of Durazzo's capture,
by Austrians who, occupied San Co..
vanni di Medua may be made at any
hour The Austrians are now PRESS
ing steadily down the Adriatic. plan--
ming 10, unite, with the Bulgarianss
moving westward, through, the, Elbas--
san district. for. "a joint drive, south-.
ward upon, Valona..
VaIona Strongly, Fortified:
No fear. is felt here, for. the, safety.
OF the italian expeditionary. force at,
Avlona. The Italians hold a more,
favorable position at Avlona than do,
the Anglo French Mt Salonilti. and it;
is strongly fortified IF the Austrian,
navy sorties out of Cottaro harbor 1t,
will encounter immensely superior,
allied sduadrons in the Adriatic.
Official circles here have been in.
formed that the Teutoflic attack onl
Salonilli will be postponed until the,
Austro- Bulgars drive at Avlona in an,
attempt to complete the conquest OF,
Albania. The Austrians hope to drive,
the Italians into the sea and remove,
the menace of hostile force on their.
right flank when they begin the march,
toward SalonilIi.
Greece has long had TERRITORIAL am
bitions toward Southern Albania.
Whether an invasion of this region.
by Austrian troops will throw, Kingf
Constantine to the side of the allies,
or will turn him toward the eentrah
empires out of fear of an Austrian in--
vasion is a matter of conjecture here,