The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-05-20
AUSTRIANS CROSS
ITALIAN FRONTIER
Defenders Are Driven Back
Four Miles, Say Berlin
Dispatches.
ITALY NEAR ROVERETO
Gen. CadOrna, in Report. Adj
mits Retreat Of His
Troops.
ITALY NEAR ROVERETO
Special Cable D,spofrb TO Tpr SvN

Special cable Despatch to THE SrN.
LONDON. May 19-For the first time
since the beginning Of the hoetilitles be-
tween Italy and Austria the Austrians
have crossed the Italian frontier in the
Lago di Garda region and are estab-
lished on the Costabella a ridge of the
Monte Baldo. between the lake and the
Lagarina Valley. At this point, where
the present Austrian offensive has met
with the greatest success. Berlin des-
patches say that the Italians have been
driven back four miles from the positions
on Austrian soil which they occupied at
the opening OF the attack and which they
had held since early In the war.
The positions on the Austrian side OF
the frontier in this region, from which
the Italians have now been driven. were
abandoned by the Austrians originally.
according to German military writer's. In
order to base their defence Oh a stronger
line running across the head Of the lake
from Riva to a point somewhat south
of Rovereto.
The fighting continued with great vigor
last night and to-day along practically
the whole Austro-Italian front from the
Monte Adameilo zone TO the sea The
Italian War Office admits the evacua-
ton OF positions on the Zugna Torta,
between the Adige and the Terragnolo
valleys. and in the Monte Maggie zone
upper As,co Under extremely violent
Austrian artillery fire. Austrian at
tacks against the positions south OF the
Iugua Torta, 10 which the Italians With
drew, were broken down. The Austriaas
also were repulsed in the Val di Sugana
zone.
In the Adamello zone the Italians
are on the offensive. Here they occu-
pied a brdgehead and the heights COM
manding II on the upper Sarca.
Heavy Artillery Fighting.
The official statement issued by the
Italian War Office tonight follows.
In the Adaneiio zone our troops
occupied a bridgehead on the upper
Sarco and contiguous heights, taking
thirty prisoners and rich booty In
stores and ammunition.
Between the Chiese and the Adige
there was intense artillery activity.
on the front between the Adige and
the Terragnolo Valley We evacuated a
position on the Zugna Turta. which
three days of constant bombardment
had rendered untenahle. Two subsr
quent attacks against our positions
south of the Iugna Torta were re-
pulsed with extremely heavy losses.
We took numerous prisoners and one
machine gun.
In the zone between the Terragnolo
Valley and the upper Astico the en-
emy continued the violent lombard
ment with batteries of all calibres of
our line of defence from Monte Mag
gio to Soglio d'Aspio. In order to
avoid useless losses we evacuated the
line in perfect order, retiring to posi-
tions in the rear. where We established
ourselves.
In the Asiago zone there Is nothing
important to report
In the Val di Sugana. after intense
artillery fire, which continued through
the night OF May IL. the enemy at
daybreak attacked our Nallemaggio
and Monte Colo positions, but was
everywhere repulsed
Our artillery bombarded lnnichen
and Sillian, in the DraVa Valley.
Along the remainder of the front
there was intense artillery activity on
the upper But and moderate artillery
firing on the Isonzo and the Carso
plateau. On the night Of May ls We
repulsed an attack in the Monfal-
cone zone,
Enemy aeroplanes few over several
towns in the Venetian plains. one
person was killed and one wounded.
The material damage was slight. our
aeroplanes bombarded enemy encamp-
IN hn Fol
garia zone. returning safely In spite
of heavy fire from anti-alrcraft guns.
ROverctO Advance Continues.
A despatch received tonight from tn.
Rome correspondent Of THE SUN woulC
indicate that even the successful Aus
| trian advance to the ,'ostabella and the
| Austrian attacks on the Zunga Torta, Il
| the northeast, have not prevented th'
| Italians from continuing their move
ment against Rovereto, The despatch
says:
italian outposts are now In the sub
| urbs OF Rovereto. II is believed tina
! the Austrians are evacuating the town
! Italian patrols have been able to entel
| the city at night and to pull down tn,
! Austrian coat Of arms from the pos
office and other Government buildings.
italian military writer's interpret tn
Austrian advance In the Trentino as hav
ing been initiated in order to check al
expected Italian offensive. The Austrian
| nave IL regarded as evidence that tn
| Austrians do not place dependence o
| their frontier forts, which the Italian
are threatening to surround and invest
The Austrlans are concentrating troop
and heavy artillery to cope with an ltal
ian offensive