The sun., 1917-09-08
AUSTRIANS ASSUME
STRICT DEFENSIVE
Forced to Abandon Series Of
Counter Attacks Along
Bainsizza Line.
LOSSES TOTAL 10000
Pressure of italian Armies
Fast Becoming Decisive,
Rome Announces.
LOSSES TOTAL 100000

LONDON. Sept. I'm the face OF strong
italian pressure, which the Rome War
Office announces Is becoming decisive,
the Austrians appear to have abandoned
counter attacks and to have taken the
defensive In the nshtins along the east
ern ridge Of tho Bainsizza plateau. The
Austrian positions in this section are ap-
1000 feet high and domi-
nate the italians by several hundred feet.
Al tho same time the Austrians appear
to be centring their efforts on the Carso
to crush tho slow but determined ad-
vance against Trieste.
Staggering losses have been inflicted
on the Austrians in the last few days
1t is estimated that 10000 Austrian pris-
oners have been taken and that the total
losses Of tho Austrians are at least 120.-
900. Tho confident tone Of the official
statement from Rome was considered
significant, since Gen. Cadorna, the
italian Commander in Chief. usually
withholds his announcements until ne is
sure Of his ground.
Capture Of Monte San Gabrielle will
give the Italians command Of the Balm
sisza plateau and tho country far to the
south. giving opportunity for Cadorna to
push on into the Chiapovano Valley and
make Il possible for him to drive a
wedge between the two Austrian armies.
This would cut OF the Austrian forces in
Trieste.
valley BECOMES Inferno.
The Brestovixsa Valley north Of the
Hermada has been transformed into an
inferno, with Thousands Of guns pouring
shells from all directions into II. while
the Austrian infantry necessarily is at
taclkins. The Italians have withstood
there no less than nine rushes Of the
infantry from the opposite lines. Some
times their forces have had to withdraw
slightly, but Immediately have recovered
tho lost ground.
From the Hermada south to the sea
me Austrian infantry Is attacking with
the same ferceness and the battle Is rag
ing uninterruptedly. The present effort
lis considered the maximum one OF which
the AustriAns are capable. Their at
tacks are delivered with an apparent in
difference to their losses. The famous
Feldjaegers Of the Emperor continue to
ItaliIn guns, while additional prisoners
are being brought In right along.
The ferocity Of tho Austrian counter
attacks, in which the best fresh troops
were launched column after column. re.
gardless Of the enormous losses, is ex-
planned by a council Of war held re-
Gently under the presidency of Field
Marshal Conrad Won Hoetzendorf and
attended by the ablest Austrian Gen
erals, including Field Marshal Won koe-
vess and Gen. Boroevic. They are re-
ported to have taken an oath to drive
tho Italians from Austrian territory.
Field Heaped with Bodies.
Sections Of the battlefield on which
these charges were made are literally
heaped with bodies. Austrian attack.
were directed with particular severity
against Selo. from which the italians
threaten the northern slopes OF the Her.
! mada. the key to Trieste. Selo was
Now the ruins have been pulverized
| 'ploughed up by shells, and all signs
OF vegetation have disappeared
The official statement to-day says:
Northeast of Gorits the enemy. hav-
ing suffered heavy losses for several
days. Is making desperate resistance
against our pressure. which Is contin-
uing decisively, Yesterday three Off
GERS and col men were made prisoner
On the Carso the bitter fighting Of
! the last few days has been followed
| by local actions for rectifying the line
and by intense bomba rdments
Our airplanes repeatedly destroyed
| or threw into confusion enemy bat
teries in the Panovizza Wood and the
| Ternova Forest and In communication
! lines on the Carso