Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-08-22
italian ASSAULTS
ON A VAST SCALE
Great Progress Made in
Smashing Austrian Lines.
Counter Attacks Futile.
$4,000 PRISONERS TAKEN

BY the Associated Press
ROME, August 22.-The present Ital-
ian offensive is on a vaster scale than
any previous one. New features were
artillery preparation which lasted only
twenty-four hours. but was SO arranged
that beginning lightly it increased
steadily and rapidly until a hurricane
of shells was falling. Then when it sud
denly ceased a squadron of airplaneS
flew in advance OF the assaulting troops
forming the first line, using their ma
chine guns on the Austrans at short
range. Many prisoners were made deaf
by the violence of the Ietonations. They
had believed their positions quite i'm
pregnable.
More than 1900 Austro- Hungarian
prisoners nave been captured by the
Italians in their offensive on the 1sonzo
front. the Italian war department an
nounced today. The Italians also have
taken thirty guns.
Gen Cadorna reports that the 1tal-
ians have gained new successes along
the whole battle line. North of Gorizia
the operations are proceeding regu
larly. To the south the struggle is
ioe~.,zing, especially on the Carso front.
Airplanes Are Active.
.'Over the battlefield 261 of our air
planes have fiown," says the statement.
Troops massed between Selo and Comeno
and on the eastern slopes of Monte Her
mada were bombarded. Works at the Tar
Wis railway center and enemy troops in
movement there were bombed with five
tons OF high explosives one of our pur-
suit machines did not return to its base
one enemy airplane was brought down.
up TO yesterday evening the total num-
Der of the enemy passing into our prisoner
camps was 2i3 officers and 10,103 men.
Many other wounded prisoners are in the
field hospitals
Austrians Generally Checked.
.On Sunday night the enemy attempt
ed diversion by concentrating his
fire and carrying out local attacks at
various points on the Trentino and
Carnia fronts. He was repulseG every
where. One of his storming par les was
destroyed in the Lagarina valley and
another, which had succeeded IN gain
ing foothold in one of our odvance
posts southeast of Monte Maio. was
driven back by a front counter at
tack.
In Albania yesterday an enemy air
plane was hit by our rifle fire and
forced to land within the enemy lines"
Battle on Julian Front.
1.-The battle on the Julian front is pro-
ceeding without interruption. With
great perseverance and concordant ac-
tion our troops. efficaciously supported
fixed batteries and by monitors of the
royal navy, are marching toward sue
cess, which. in spite of the undiminish-
ed resistance Of the enemy. is becom-
ing delineated.
''On the north wing the struggle is
going on regularly on the Carso pla-
teau, and in the coastal zone, under
pressure of the third army. the enemy
line is beginning to bend and give way
at various points. Italian brigades.
competing in valor. have succeeded in
carrying the well organized enemy de-
fenses between Corite and Selo. near
the strongly fortified position of Start
lokva-"
Vienna Admits Reverses.
VIENNA, Tuesday, August 81. via
London. August 22.-The new attack OF
the Italians has forced back the Aus
trian line at some points. the war Office
announces. and the village of SeIc on
the Carso plateau has been lost 1t is
said the Austrians have taken more than
$500 prisoners.
The official statement follows:
The eleventh battle of the Isonzo is
ceeded in the ten preceding battles in
breaking our victorious defensive
strength.
south of Auzza and east of Canale
Con the Isonzo south of Tolmino), the
enemy succeeded in driving in our
front slightly After an attack at Vrh
tsoutheast of Canale). some of our de-
tachments held their positions until
they were surrounded completely after
which they cut their way out Be
tween the Dersela and the wippach an
assault failed in the face of the heroic
defense of our lines. On the Carso the
enemy at the cost of thousands of men
obtained a local success in the conquest
of the village of Selo.
During two days of fighting we have
taken more than $500 prisoners and
more than fifty machine guns"