Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-18
ITALIANS MAKING.
SUCCESSFUL STAND
AGAINST INVADERS
Piave River Front Not Yet
Breached at Any
Point.
RESISTANCE APPARENTLY
Is GROWING STRONGER
Latest Austro-German Attempts
Brilliantly Frustrated and
Columns Cut Up.
THRUST FROM HILLS IS SLOW
British Greatly Improve Their Posi-
tions in Passchendaele Sec
tor in West.
RESISTANCE APPARENTLY
Is GROWING STRONGER
THRUST FROM HILLS IS SLOW.
British Greatly Improve Their Posi-
tions in Passchendaele Sec
tor in West.
[Ry Assoclated Pren..l


and so far, successful stand against
the Austro-GcrElan masses thrown
against them in desperate attacks
along the line OF the Piave River and
in the mountainous region from tho
Pave westward to the edge OF tho
Trentino district. The river line has
not been preached at any point, while
the thrust OF the Austrians southward
from the hills in an attempt to driver
wedge through to the plains behind
the Piave line is making slow progress.
1t is now more than week since
the Italians. retreating from the Tag
liamento. crossed to the west bank OF
the Piavc. and took up their defensive
positions behind 1t. The German COM
mand lost no t1me in attempting to
force u passage OF the stream, and tho
enemy efforts were pressed on scale 1
of increasing intensity during all last
week. ~
The Italian resistance, however,
seems to be growing stronger. rather
than otherwise. The latest Austro-
German attempts to gain a permanent
hold on the westerly side OF the Plavo {
were not only brilliantly frustrated.
but the enemy columns were badly cut
up. and nearly 1000 Toutons were
taken prisoner. 9N @
ATTACKS DELIVERED JUST a A
ABOVE THE BENSON LOOFS
These attacks on the river line Were
delivered just above the 1enson loop,
where the invaders first effected a
crossing, and were hemmed In from
the start. They are steadily being
driven here into an increasingly re-
stricted zone. the Rome War Office
f,n 1~t.,
the water barrier to any Austro-
German advance toward Venice, raised
by the opening OF the hoodgates into
the swampy region, is boing re-enforced
by the work OF the army artillery and
the guns OF Italian warships on: tho
Adriatic.
The Italian line has yielded slightly
in the hills east of tho Brenta. whore
the capture of Monte Prassolan by
Austro- Hungarian troops is announced
by Berlin. No further advances for
the attacking forces in the mountain
region northeast of Asiago are claimed.
Military operations in the other war
theaters were on comparatively small
scale. The most important move was
made in Flanders by the British. who
pushed further north on the GoeberE
spur, northwest Of Passchendaele, cap.
turing strongly fortified redoubt
known as Vocation Farm. and SO Inn
proving their positions In this sector
as to make the present limo across
Passchendaele ridge easier to hold.
INCREASED ACTIVITY
In AMERICAN SECTOR
In Palestine the British forces, which
recently have made so spectacular an
advance up the Mediterranean coast to
In al iorIL Art,0 80
moving forward, but apparently feef-
ing their way with some caution. Tho
Turks are giving signs Of making
stand few miles north of Jaffa, where
they are reported attempting to pre-
pare an intrenched position.
In the sector OF the French front
held by the American troops there has
been increased activity by the artii.
lcry incidental to which there have
| been additional American casualties,
some of which occurred when a Ger.
man shell hit an American gun. The
American batteries have been ener-
setic in their reply, giving the Ger
mans better than they sent, in the
opinion OF observers. y2
On the naval side there is an In.
teresting development in the North
Sea, where British light forces operat-
iH, III iiSiS blSHI encountered
and engaged German light cruisers on
Saturday morning> Tho British Ad.
mralty reported In an carly statement
that the Germans made off at high
speed, with the British vessels In pur.
suit.
From Russia the latest dispatches
report Premier Kerensky In flight. hia
whereabouts unknown In Petrograd,
after having been defeated by the Bof.
shcviki and deserted by the greater
part of his own officers and men, Ono
report attributes the Premicr's defeat
TO the Intervention OF Lettish forces.
$4,000 strong. on tho side of the Boi-
shev!ki The Bolsheviki are also ap.
parentiy In control of Moscow, where
the provisional governments forces
arc reported to have been penncd
within tho Kremlin under artillery
bombardment. Unconfrmed reports say
the bombaTdment was followed by the
arrangement OF truce batween the
hostile factions. se