New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-05-25
Smash Austrian Defence
System on Carso
Plateau
100 Aeros Lead Way
In Bombing Attack
British Batteries Pound the
Hostile Front for
Ten Hours

London, May e4.-Thc Italians yes.
terday broke through nearly ten miles
of Austrian fertilization on the Carso
Plateau. from near Castagnavizza to
the sea, captured several towns and
hill strongholds, and swept In over
5000 Austro- Hungarian prisoners, vim
ming one OF the clearest cut victories
OF the war Their lines tonight are
within ten miles of Trieste, Austris's
largest seaport and the heart OF
italia Irredenta."
The Austrian official statement to-
night admits the loss Of Jsmisno.
where 1t says the Austrian troops had
been withdrawn for kilomctre." Else
where, it says. the attack along forty
kilometrc front failed to gain. 1t says
the battle continues furiously.
Though the preliminary bombsrds
ment, in which ten British heavy bat.
teries shared, lasted for ten hours. the
Austrans. in their rock-hewn trenches
seemed taken by surprise, as the num'
ber OF prisoners, greater even than the
British captures on the first day OK
the battle of Arras, indicates. Ca.
donra had suddenly switched his attack
from around and north OF Gorilla. and
his troops. debouching from their lines
on bulgng front from CastagnavizzA
to the Gulf of Panzano, seized part Of
the area south OF the Castagnavizzas
Boscomalo road, passed Boscomalo and
stormcd the town Of Jamisno, Hill -,
two-tbirds OF a nile east OF Pietrarossss
Hill II. Hill So. Hill 81 and the little
town of Bsgni, coast bathing resort.
A feet Of 100 airplsnes flew ahead Of
the troops. dropping ten tons OF bombs.
The enemy did not recover from the
attack until evening, giving the Italians
time partially TO consolidate their new
positions. When the counter thrusts
did come they were thrown back evsrys
where with what the Rome official
statement describes as severe loss"
Trieste Italians Goal
Since Italy entered the war Cadorna'a
strategy has been steadily directed tow>.
ard Trieste. and his recent operations
have thoroughly justified the care with
which he sealed up the valleys Of the
Trentino and removed the Austrian
menace at Gorilla.
To-day's operations were directed
with great skill. the Austrian forces
around San Marco being heavily en-.
gagged in what looked like a major bat.
tie when the main stroke to the souths
ward was delivered.
incidentally General Cadorna is the
only commander in chief who has rec
tanned a chief command and the conc
fidence Of his people during the enc
tire period his country has been al
war;
Trieste. with its population Of 2I9,s
475. mostly Italians, is much more
important place than Gorilla. with its
10000 souls. 1t is magnificently i'm.
proved seaport. and, strategically, IL
controls the whole Adriatic Sea. Orig.
inally Roman city. and historically =
part Of Italy, it mas been under Aus
trian rule since 1882.
Trieste Dominates Adriattc
Should Trieste fall tie domination Of
the Adriatic would pass with IT. The
Austrians have their main naval base
at Pola. at the point Of the peninsula
south OF Trieste, but it is served by
only two rail lines, the more Important
of which runs through Trieste. while
the other would come under indirect
artillery FIRE the moment the Italisn
armies reached ODcina. just north or
Trieste. There is also another Austrian
naval base ut Catarro, on the Lower
Adriatic, but it lacks rail communica.
ton. Fiume, the chief Austrian subma.
rine base, is clear across the base Of the
Istrian peninsula and is not immedi.
ately mensced by the Italian drive.
Trieste is far from having fallens
however. The strip of territory over
which the Italian armies must operate
is one of great difficulty for an attack.
ing force, and il has been claboratsly
fortified. II 10 . high plateau Of inter.
twisted lava formations. with frequent
abrupt heights and scarcely any main
lines Of approach. The coast region
naturally. is the most promising for m
Italian advance, but the bulge Caderns
has driven out over the Carso threats
ems, il extended, to cut the railways inc
to Trieste.
The official account Of the fighting
issued at Rome TO-DAY. reads:
ION the Csrso yesterday, after ten
hours Of violent bombsrdment, the gal.
liant troops Of the Third Army assaulted
and broke through the wsll-orgsnited
lines Of the enemy from Csstsgnsvixss
to the sea. While we were heavily enc
gsging the enemy on the left, eus
troops after carrying enemy trenches
in the centre and on the right. occupied
part Of the ares south Of the Casta.