New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-09
Italians Hold Up
Drive; Announce
3O,672 Captured
Rome Gives Out Figures
for Actual Offensive" as
if Campaign Ends
Vienna Claims Victory
Tells of Recapture Of Ground
Lost on Carso and Near
Mount Hermada
Vienna Claims Victory

F. LONDON. Sept. S.-The Italian drive
toward Laibach and Trieste has APP
parently come to an end, at least for
the time being. No infantry fighting
on any part of the long front was re-
ported to-day, though there have been
intense artillery actions, particularly
against the Austrian garrison which
still clings to Monte San Gabrielle.
/ Rome for the first time announces n
total of prisoners captured during the
actual offensive"-30,672 men of all
ranks. including sos offcefs-which is
only customary at the conclusion of
campaign.
! An undated official statement from
Vienna has been received here, which
/ evidently deals with the fighting Of
/ Thursday, when the Italian captors OF
Monte San Gabrielle were driven back
by q particularly vigorous counter at
/ tack. This said that Cadorna's men,
/ fleeing westward across the Dol, were
caught in the annihilating fire Of the
defenders, who nevertheless were called
upon TO repel fresh attacks that night.
The FIRE of the Italian heavy artillery
on Monte San Gabrielle is described as
unceasing and increasing, while ST.
Catherine has been brought within the
field of the bombsrdment.
Claims From Vienna
/ Vienna asserts that the Austrians by
a bold stroke regained all the ground
recently won by Cadorna on the Carso
Plateau. north Of Mount Hcrmada and
the bulletin is so worded as to include
Selo. which the Italians captured early
. in their drive, once more within the
/ Austrian lines. Referring to this re.
J gon. the statement says: "The enemy
can no longer boast of having gained
q yard OF ground" and adds that lGG
officers and $500 men have been taken
prisoner.
1t is admitted however, that the
/ Italians. by mad thrusts," were at
tempting 10 regain the lost ground.
! Rome confessed few days ago that
some Of Cadorne's gains on the Carso
had been sacrificed in the Austrian
counter attacks. delivered chiefly by
Bavaran rcinforcements, but declared
that these had been stopped, after
which the Italian lines were swung
back again to the points Of their great
est advance. Nothing was ever said
about the loss Of the town of Selo.
Won't Sacrifice Troops
A. to Monte San Gabrielle, Csdorna,
knowing it must fal! sooner or later,
has evidently concluded that it is
cheaper to reduce the stronghold by in
tensive gunhre than TO sacrifice more
troops in costly assaults up the steep
slopes. The Austrians cannot hold the
summit indefinitely, exposed as they
are TO n fanking fire, and will presum-
ably retire when their new lines to the
rear are fully prepared. These must be
strongly fortified to resist the Italian
thrust between the Carso and Balm
siZzs plateaus, which will probably open
Cadorna's next campaign. II is be-
lieved here that if the Italians are kept
properly supplied this will come soon.
Meanwhile the Italian army is
gathering and classifying the huge
quantity of war material which the
Austrians left behind them in their re-
treat west Of BainsizZa, and carrying
cut the systematic bombardment of
strategic points northeast Of Gorilla
and on the Carso. Rome reports that
Austrian diverting attacks in the Tven-
tino, west Of Lake Garda, have been re-
Tulsed, and Vienna announces that
Trieste has again been bombed by Ital-
ian fiers.