Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-02-16
New Map Not Ready.

! DIR. Kettle, secretary Of the Royal
society and the administrative direc-
tor of the institution, tod the the As
ISOLATED Press correspondent II was
quite too soon yet to outline the So
called new map of Europe The
areas Of occupation were indefinite
and constantly shifting. and II re-
mains to be seen whether recognized
and established political boundaries OF
the past are to be changed permanent
ly, as 1t requires something more than
military occupation to change them.
one OF the recent maps of the geo
graphical society shows the fighting
area between Italy and Austria. and
the present and proposed boundaries
in the Trentlno and Trieste districts.
The area in dispute seems very small
compared with the magnitude of the
struggle going on in the ltalian-Aus-
trhn frontiers. In the Trentlno dis
trict the disputed district is about fif-
teen miles wide by about thirty miles
long. and in the Trieste district about
eighteen by twenty-five miles-in all
less than small county in New York
state.
President Freshfield gave a graphic
description of the Alpine compaign. at
recent meeting Of the society, based
on his personal knowledge of these
peaks and passes which he has tray
ersed during his days as an Alpinist.
He recalled that fifty years ago he
q IL IT. ts.4.I l. I|s.
highest peak of the Trentino Alps. the
Presanella 500 feeD. where Aus
tro-Italian fighting has been going on.
"a mountain region--the Alps has
no single range-may serve as Il good
defense to those who hold II strongly
up to the summit ridge he said.
"The Alps are proving so now In tho
case of Austria. But If you hold only
the lower slopes on one side II may be
more of a snare than a defense, The
Importance of mountains in warfare
has been exaggerated in popular esti-
nation The decisive battles of his
tory, az strateglsts have pointed out,
are fought in the plains. The invaders
Of Italy, from Hannibal and gIasdru-
hel to Francis ! Of France and Napo
leon, found ways over the Alps for
their armies in all ages the Trentino
leading to the Bremen pass, has been
a channel of communication between
the regions north and south. The pass
was traversed by armies no less than
forty-three times between the years
95f and 1851, and Francis | crossed
it three times in one month.
New Methods of Fighting.
Turning 70 the recent fighting. Or
Freshficld said: THE beginning OF
the war found the Austrians firmly
this point round to the Gavla pass
twenty miles of continuous glacier
clothes the crest, the gaps in which do
not fail below 5000 feet. IN old war
fare glaciers had their terrors for
soldiers But in the present war the
spread Of mountaineering. the intro
duction of the ski, and the systemat-
ic training in France and Italy OF
mountain regiments, have led to con-
slant fighting above the snow level.
The troops have put to use the skill
learned in frequent mountain maneu-
vers In the Ortler group there is
hardly pass traversed in the last
fifty years by mountain climbers
which has not been made use Of by
these intrepid military raiders.
1.-THE Italians starting from Val di
Zebru have skirted over peaks Of L.
900 feet, making what the Germans
call d orcat-climb. assaulting the Aus