The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-05-27
Vienna Admits Army Never
Has Had to Face Greater
Offensive.
ROCKY HILLS STORMED
Since May IA Italians Have
Taken 22,419 of Enemy
Prisoners.
AIR FLEET COOPERATES
Aviators Adopt British Tao
tics, Spraying Enemy With
Machine Guns.

LONDON, May c6.-The Italian army
has been victorious again in its big Of
fensive toward Trieste. Unwearied by
preyicus efforts Gen. Cadorna's infantry
Yesterday stormed large sections OF the
Austrian second line Of defence on the
rocky hills Of the Carso plateau. and to
the north held firmly against most vio-
lent counter attacks all the captured
ground on the Isonzo.
In this day Of tremendous fighting the
Italians took $500 fresh prisoners. The
surest testimony to the strength Of their
offensive is that since the first attack
on the ,Isonzo on May IL these troops
have captured 22.41s Austrians, of whom
ls7 are officers. This is total of
prisoners equal to that taken by either
the British or French in their offen-
sives in q considerably longer space Of
time.
The Austrian General STAFF, too. bears
witness to what a powerful machine the
Italian army has now become and what
terrific blows 1t can deal. Never in
the two years Of fighting just COM
Dleted." says the Austrian official an
uOuiTCbiucuts Has ui0 hCTOtC 1bOnLO army
had to face greater efforts Of the en-
envy"
Advance . Mile.
On . six mile front on the southern
tagnavissa, the Italian infantry re-
newsd their attack yesterday afternoon
and pushed forward everywhere. At
come points the advance attained q
depth Of q mile. and this on . front OF
cold rock. honeycombed with caverns.
studded with steel ana concrete fortresses
and bristling with cannon and machine
At the southern END Of this front the
ltaliens swept onto the plateau north OF
Dunno. driving the Austrians from all the
heights bAtween the village Of Ffondaf
and MedeAzxa, which is straight north
Il Duino. This single success would bs
. splendid days work. for the terrain Is
u tremendous difficulty.
At the same time storming columns
north and south Of the plateau had also
advanced. fighting through the trench
systems at the mouth Of the Timavt
River. near Lokavac and San Giovanni
and also the Brestovica road, near ko
marie.
Still further to the north, on the maiI
mass Of the ,Carso plateau. Italian stub
borness In attack won q notable vic
tory. The Austrian trench labyrinth
east Of Bosc0malo. or Hudi Log. as ter
rible a position to assault as any Ger
man field fortress on the western front
was riddled BY the Italian infantry will
their bombs and bayonets. This enables
. column advancing from versic t
Chamber to the summit Of Hill 220. be
side the Castagnavixsa road and south
east Of Boscomalo. Trenches near Cas-
tagnavizxa also were taken.
Alstrian Lines Smashed.
In the whole attack the Italian
smashed the Austrian defence systeI
from THE Timavo to Jamiano. to whic
they reported yesterday the Austrian
had fallen back after their first line ha
been broken in the original Italian a.
tack There remains now to the Austr
ans little OF their first two lines here o
front Of four miles and more.
All about the Vodice ridge the Italia
Second Army was also fighting hercely
' hold what II had gained in the offensi,
beginning May IL. II succeeded con
pletely. After violent artillery fire Il
Austrans again swarmed to recaptui
Hin $50. the apex of tho Vodice. Ths
tried many times. and the Anal resu
vas complete repulse with 800 pri
eners taken.
Italian aviators bore we'll their pa
in the offensive. They showed then
selves no less enterprising than the
British allies. adopting successfully Il
same tactics the British originated. n
ing far behind the Austrian lines. swoo
Ing down on marching infantry al
spraying them with machine gun bullet
besides the usual raiding tactics Eve
one OF them returned safely.
To-day's Austrian statement. thou
speaks Of the Austrian defence
terms OF praise that are reminiscent
the grandiose German Official statemer
on the British and French offensive
also adopts the German viewpoint tn
tho enemy did not break through a
consequently we have won"
OmciaI Statements.
The official statements follow:
ltallan-"Heavy fighting still contin,
on the Carso. where our gallant troc
Yesterday carried another strongly fos
Ned enemy position. capturing 81
prisoners and much war material.
After intense artillery preparat
lasting until 1 o'clock in the afterno
Infantry OF the Seventh Army Coz
VBUously attacked ana Carried tne
work Of trenches extending from
mouth Of the Timave River to a pc
east Of Jamiano and took possession
the heights between F9cndar and Ne
ssza. Further north. after severe hi
10 hand fighting. the enemy's defen
at the labyrinth east OF Boscomalo "
broken and Hin 220, southeast of
village, and trenches around Castag
visa were taken.
The operations on the northern I
tor Of the Carso were confined AIN
exclusively to artillery actions. We
tended our positions on Hin l7%. ns
Of Tivoli.
THE fighting was very heavy IN
Nodice area, where the enemy m
every effort to dislodge us from the
portant point Hill sb2. which. howe
remained firmly In our possession.
After violent artillery prepara
Continued, on sccord Page.