Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-17
POWERFUL D|KES
. LET LOOSE WATERS
OVER Low PLAINS
W hole Region, Forming
Huge Triangle, Now
Inundated.
TEUTONS SWEPT OFF FEET
BY IRRESISTIBLE INRUSH
Effort to Prevent Movement to
Flank Right Wing Be-
lieved Successful.
AIENACING MOVE IN MOUNTAINS
Invaders Take CiSm0n i'm Their Slow,
but Relentless, March
Southwnrtl.
TEUTONS SWEPT OFF FEET
BY IRRESISTIBLE INRUSH
MENACING MOVE IN MOUNTAINS
Invaders Take CiSmOn i'm Their Slow.
but Relentless, March
Southwark.

LONDON. November l6-A rusc OF
war-old as war itself. but ever sue
ccssful-- has been played by the Italians
Oh the Teuton lett wing at the mouth
Of the riavc. There in the marshy
ilatlands zi2.aSscd by many bays and
lagoons. just east OF Venice, Teu-
ton vanguards have been altering
through" across the river for several
days. Emboldened by comparatively
weak resistance. they advanced farther
and farther. taking Il neat foothold in
the triangle between san Dona di
Piave. Porto di Piavc Vccchia and the
Piave's mouth. From this triangle was
10 he launched the uorthwestward
thrust designed 10 outiiank the Italian
main forces along the west bank OF
the river
Suddenly. some time within the last
twenty -four hours. they commander OF
the Italian engineer corps that had
been secretly busy as bees for two
weeks in this region gave a signal
Translated into good Yankee talk II
meant. Letter go!"
| Down went the powerful dikes which
for many decades have held in check
tho waters of two rivcrs-the .'iave
and Silc. All across the low-lyinE
plains swept the floods. impetuously.
irrcsiStiblS. like a sea- dcvourinE the
coast on ,yphoon spree. The rush
started at the very point where the
Tcutons had managed To cross the
rivcr--,;roslar. four miles from tho
coast--and SurGcd all over tho triangle
! whose sides are nearly fifteen miles
widr. The rcutons were swept off
their feet. and tho area which they had
invaded had been turned into a lake.
II is a repetition, on n small scale, OF
the Belgian ruse on the User. Those
Of the Teutons who could not get back
in time inevitably pcrishcd
Thus the Italians have. for tho pres.
en-; at least. safeguarded their right
wing.
THINGS LOOK GRAVE
UP IN MOUNTAINS
But up in the mountains. where the
FOG is trying TO cut to their rear in
"a far more mcnacinG llankinG move,
and where there are no nuodEates to
be opened things look grave.
The Teutons there have taken Cis-
mon. another gateway to the plain.
This town lies only eleven miles north
OF Bassano. and from that city TO Cit
tadella. the intersection of the Italian
life line" is on.y eight miles. More
over. the army under General Krobatin.
which operates here. is now advancing
through open space between the noun
tains OF the Sette Communi and the
big ridge to its east. They are not
"dashing" southwark. There is moth
ing OF Il break through" in their ad-
vance. Hui they are novin;; on never
ihelcss, slowly, releltlessly. though the
intrepid ..lpini are yielding OILY inch
by inch. in tie moun,a.ns TO the east
nd.
vaior and tenacity that mock the very
thought of broken morale. Along the
lower and middle course OF the Piave.
they are holding their own. and their
artillery is answering she'll for she'll
across The stream. hut the Erobatin
army, every military critic here agreed
tonight mrst be stopped. and stopped
at once. or all the italian tenacity and
heroism on the other fronts will have
been in vain.
There is one other menace which
General DiaZ is relied upon to havo
constantly in mind. 1t lies in the pos
sibility OF a Teuton crossing at Ner-
vesa. near where the Treviso- Udine
railway crosses the Piave. Here tho
iiave is narrowest. and In tho middle
Of the stream lies Z long shoal that
presents an excellent stepping stone"
to the foe. The danger in the Teutons
presence on the eastern bank hero lies
in the fact that If Bellows center
pushes across. he would threaten to
outnank the whole Italian line down
to the Adriatic and part of the Italian
left wing
CAPTURE or CISMON
ANNOUNCED ny BERLIN
The capture OF Cismon was an
nounccd by Berlin to-day. The Ger
man War ONCE statement also reported
the capture OF 1000 Italians by Hun
garians advancing near the sea along
the western bank of the Piave." hut
in view of the news from Romo OF
the opening of the hoohgates, IL is
believed that this success antcdates tho
climax of the Italian ruac. since tho i
only other explanation would be that
the rusc failed In do tho damage Rome
dispatches indicate IL dad.
High praise Is given the Italians In
General Diaz's bulletin f'om the front.
He lauds the great courage. boldness