The Hawaiian gazette., 1916-05-23
Sustained Bombardment OF Their
Positions BY Enemy, Forces
Italians To Abandon Two VAL
IeyS and EVacuate Points
REVERSE UNATTENDED
BY ANY SERIOUS LOSS
Troops OF Franz Josef Are Not
Reported To Be Preparing For
Another Offensive In Balkans,
Where Troops Are Arriving

ASSOCIATED Press by Federal Wireless)
r ONDON, May 20-It is officially
reported. by the italian war office
... that, following a sustained BON.
bardment Of their positions by the Aus
trians. the italians have evacuated !.
large sectiGHn OF the advance territory
held by them in Austria. The Italians
have withdrawn from the Zegnatorta
and I.agarina valleys and have evacu.
ated their positions on the Monte Mag.
gio TO Sagliodaspio line. The evacua-
ton is reported to have been carried
out without any serious losses, all the
heavy artillery being safely shifted in
20 the new defensive positions.
Austrians Are Progressing
A Berlin account of this Italian re-
verse, from Vienna, says that the
italian forces have been pushed back
five miles by the attacking Austriaus
on the Isohzo front, but the Italians
are now making sitter resistance and
the battle is hotter than before. The
Austrians are making continued pro-
gress in the valleys southeast of Row.
erto. nearer the Trent section. The
number Of Italian prisoners taken now
exceed 700 and the Austrians, cross,
ing Luan valley, have captured the
town of Costabella.
The Austrians are now reported to
be pFeparing for fresh offensive in the
Balkans and one hundred and fifty
steamers have arrived at Fiume, Aus.
tria, TO transport Austrian soldiers and
act as feet convoy, over the Adriatic
to DuTazzO. IT is supposed that the
Austrians intend attacking AvlOna in
force
Deadlock on Verdun Front
On the NerduniGront there has been
an intense artillery struggle for posses
sion of the Avocourt wood positions
at Hill 304 and before lie Mortc
Homme, with neither side scoring any
signal ADVANTAGE. The Paris reports
state that two fresh German divisions
were launched against the French in
furious attack at AvOcourt and Hill
304, where violent fighting still con
tinues. The attacks were in the main
unsuccessful though the Germans got
a footing south Of Hill 2S7, east of
Avocourt. The Germans are attempt
ing to capture the fort on Hill 304.
Berlin claims TO have made substan-
tial progress in this fighting and to
have taken l29 prisoners in the trench.
es seized.
The Russian advance in the Cauca-
sus is rolling steadily on, increasing
Slav armies spreading out along
fanshaped front and OverpOwering all
resistance. although the COnstantinOple
despatches claim that the Turks have
made a successful stand between Bit
LIS and Baiburt
British Navy Takes Hand
The British navy took a hand in the
Syrian fighting yesterday, a monitor
fleet, with areoplanes, bombarding Ell
ATish, Turkish concentration point
on the line of the Syrian Egyptian
railroad. The forts were destroyed by
the British guns
In a diplomatic way the British
scored this week, Lord Cecil the min.
lister of the bIockndr, announcing in
parliament that the tension which has
erisen between Great Britain and Swe-
den over the British seizure of and
F,-arch Of mails 80 and from Sweden has
materially lessened, owing to an agree
ment which has been entered into
whereby the Swedish postal authorities
will guarantee that Sweden mails will
not carry COntraband.