The sun., 1917-05-25
AUSTRIAN CARSO
LINES SMASHED
Italians Make Big Advance
OH Road to Trieste by
Sudden Offensive.
5000 PRISONERS TAKEN
TeutOns, Surprised by Drive,
Fall Back Everywhere Over
a Wide Front.
5000 PRISONERS TAKEN

wide front, which broke through the
Austrian trench system. carried strong
positions and made more than 5000
prisoners.
Along the shore Of the Adriatic Italian
infantry swarmed over a cluster of hill
positions held by the enemy, which are
little more than ten miles from Trieste.
The large town Of Jamiano was stormed.
All along the line Austrian trenches
were taken.
The offensive Of to-day represents
probably Italys greatest effort in the
war. in combination with the attacks of
May IL and ensuing days on the Julian
front. Never before has an Italian COM
mander attacked on such q wide front
with such large forces of troops, with
such intense artillery preparation or
| with such success.
All Positions Held.
The surest proof of the power of the
| new Italian army. said now to number
between three and four millions, is that
every position taken has been held. The
Austrians began strong counter attacks
supported by a very heavy gunfire, last
night. All failed.
| 1t appears also that the Italians out
witted the Austrian generals. just as
they did when Goritz was taken last
summer. Italian army headquarters re-
ports that the Austrians were taken un.
awares by the Italian attack on tho
Carso, following Immediately upon The
previous smash on the Julian front.
1t is pointed out here that in the
number Of prisoners taken the Italian
offensive of yesterday compares excel
lently with the first day of the British
attack in the battle Of Arras. wher
1900 men were taken. The previous
Italian attack resulted in more thar
1000 Austrians being captured. making
the total more than 10000. With thu
Franco British total for the Arras and
| Aisne battles the Germans and Austrians
have lost $4,000 men In prisoners since
April ..
Airmen In Hattie.
The new Italian offensive was notable
In several ways Italian aviators IL
great numbers flew over the Austrian
lines, dropping ten tons OF bombs and
like their British and French allies
firing upon the infantry on the groun'
with machine guns. All told $50 ltaliaI
machines, some Of them naval sea
planes. took part in this air offensive
and every one returned safely TO IL
hangar.
The Italian War Office announces tina
! the number OF British heavy gun bat
teries on the Italian front is ten, AM
, that the British artillerymen helpe'
largely in the artillery preparation tina
preceded the infantry attack. ltalia
i naval guns also did effective work
This artillery preparation lasted te
/ hours, and was violent in the extren
and more deadly than artillery hre coui
! be on any other front On the cars
= n,ateau the effect of every shell explo
, zion was intensified by the showers @
1 rock splinters 1t threw up from IN
: limestone surface and from the rock
, bound Austrian fortifications.
: Italian Task Heavy.
A hard task faced the italian an
British gunners. Since last autumn ther
has been practically no change In III
= hattie lines on the Carso and the Aus
trians have had many months in whic
. 10 fortify themselves Using rock drill
steel girders and concrete. they ha'
erected a series OF positions so stron
: that only the most destructive and az
|
II When at last the Italian gunners n
: ,orted that they had done all that the
|. could and the infantry left their trench'
L for the attack all went as Gen. Cadorn
had MANNED II. On the left flank. jul
= ms in the attack OF May IA. the attacl
e ing troops created a diversion and kel
: the enemy occupied. On the centre ar
IS right tho infantry first stormed stror
lines OF Austrian trenches and then e.
J. panded the operation.
>. Then It was that Jamiano. two and
d half miles northeast OF Monfalcone' al
y on the southern edge Of the plateau. WI
J. stormed. The Italians occuited part
q the ground south of the Castagnavizz
k Roscomalo road passed Boscomalo al
It occupied Hill 90. an exceedingly We
r fortified and important position east
Is pietra Rosa, and the three low
eminences of hills ~, 5s and 21. sout
ie east and east Of Monfalcone. as well
r the hamlet of Basnl. on the Goa
'r marshes, a half mile from the sea.
" Counter Attacks RepulAed.
Then came the Austrian counter O
tacks DISPATCHES say that the Al
trian officers led their men, which
unusual, n deep masses, but nowhe
ID with any SUCCESS The Austri
losses, cStlNluktu tS taN HiS pcch ov'o
In the Julian fighting. were greatly
r. creased by the lighting Of last night.
r. While tho Third army on the Car
r. was acaut,ing Itself well. the fght
a. on the Julian front had not subsid,
w An Austrian fortress on the northwc
ey ern slopes OF Monte San Marco. re
lg Goritz, was stormed. Further nor
Is after the most severe fighting,
italians pushed forward In the region
81 Monte Santo and the Vodice. The
re ficlal italian statement follows:
On the Carso yesterday. after te
hours of violent bombardment II
sallant troops OF the Third Arm
assaulted and broke through the We
organized lines OF the enemy fro,
e. Castagnavtzza to the sea. While "
were heavily engaging the enemy @
-, the left, our troops. after carry!r
IL enemy trenches in the centre and @
pa. the right, occupied part OF the are
nc south of the Castagnavizza-D Doscoma
70 road, passed Boscomalo and capture
nu Jamiano. the important and strong
W fortified heights OF Hill 92. one kllon
81 eter east of Pietra Rossa Hill :
Hill IS. Bagni and Hill 81.
The enemy was at first surprise