New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-21
Cadorna Takes $500 Cap
tives in Drive From
PLAYA to Adriatic
Big Guns Shatter
Defences of Austrians
Bombardment and Infantry
Fighting Described as
Terrific

LONDON, Aug. 20.-The most am
bilious offensive Italy has undertaken
in the present war was launched at
dawn yesterday, from Plava to the
Adriatic Sea. a distance, including the
sinuosities of the front, of approx
mately thirty-seven miles.
Striking success crowned the open
ing efforts of General Cadorna's troops.
Great masses of the Italian infantry
swept over the enemy's first lines, which
had been pulverized by the concer-
trated fire of hundreds OF batteries, and
everywhere penetrated into the Aus
trian reserve zone, where a series OF
desperate hand-to-hand battles is now
raging. Thus far 100 officers and-more
than 1900 men have passed as prison.
ers into the Italian collection stations.
Several cannon and many machine guns
have also been taken.
Adyiccs to neutral capitals from vi
emma paint the situation as grave ana
characterize the fighting as the most
violent in the history of the Italian
war theatre. The dispatches add that
il is believed by the Austrians and
Germans that General Cadorna is try
inc to break through to Trieste. Un-
doubtedly the Italians are wsglng a
campaign for the occupation OF Iries'e
and the Istrian peninsula, and perhaps
they ultimately hope to cross the Csrso
plateau to Laibach, which would open
the way to the plains before Vienna.
Rut unless there is a complete Austrian
debacle the present engagement VIII
hardly result in breaking the enemy
Tne and what initial successes King
Victor's troops may have will only rep
resent the first phase Of long ana
difficult campaign.
Drive May Be Reply to Pope
Italy has prepared the new drive
with elaborate care, which has occupied
tho bulk Of the summer. frooaoiS'
however. the Pope's peace proposals
which suggested leaving the questi0n
~ Italia Irredenta to the council table
belped TO precipitate II. In tac', inc
Italian press says that the advance,
Ike the British attack in Flanders, wiz
he of service if it demonstrates no"
the Allied peoples and armies ieei 70"
ard "premature peace proposals Inc
Italian papers interpret the announce
nont that Emperor Charles IS soon 10
visit the Austro-Italian 'front.' AS al
effort 20 inspire a doubtful army.
Tho Russian and Rumanian situation
likewise probably supplies a motive Ior
tho Italian offensive at this time. semi.
official dispatches from Rome nave
insisted that there were no Austrian
withdrawals from the Italian tront 20
stiAfen the units in Galicia and MOI
dawn. but it is believed that Austria
now finds it as difficult 70 supply re-
serves as Germany, and that these can
not he taken from the Russo-Rumanian
fronts without courtine disaster oh
the other hand, Italy has more reserves,
relative to her population, than any OF
the belligerents except America
These reserves were concentrated IN
HUGO masses along the Julian ana
Carso fronts, backed by great num-
hers of new guns and supported as
we'll by the British heavy batteries
which so materially assisted the last
advance. For weeks Italian hiers,
sinely and in squadrons, have bombed
tho hostile bases, while observation
'nlones hovered constantly above the
Austrian positions. Intensive gun hre
began about a week ago, and gradually
increased until Saturday night 1t re-
echoed among the rocks like the roll
ing OF drums.
Airplares Lead Troops
As the infantry left their trenches
ooa oirnlanes flew ahead of them, Mt
tacking the enemy troops with machine
Gun fire and bombing the Austrian re-
soryos as they concentrated for coun-
tor attacks. As soon as the Italians
y,era across the enemy's first lines,
bayonet and grenade fighting COM
menced between enormous bodies Of
mon. At last reports these encounters
we're still continuing, with the Aus
trians energetically resisting the ltal-
ian pressure.
Seven and @ half miles above Go
rizia. at Anhovo. the Italians crossed
the Isonzo River and swept into the
angle OF the stream ABOVE the Posi-
tions they conquered early IN the
season around Monte Santo. The
crossing was accomplished under the
Austrian fire BY means Of pontoon
bridges repeated at many points. Ca
dorns's divisions are now we'll estab-
lished upon the left bank. Austrian
reports declare the Italian drive ex-
tends uorthward to Tolmino, but Rome
gives Piava, in the lsonzo salient, as
The northern point of the attack. At
present the chief energy Of the battle
seems confined TO the Isonzo section
of the front, but If the Italians mean
to develop a direct menace against