The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-08-27

AladiAh OIspalCu recelVeu III WdShiil5-
ton from Rome yesterday, in addition
to containing q. vivid description of
Joint Italian and British naval bonn
(. basdrkent of the HerfAedA the noun
tain mass barring the way to Trieste,
ss.aa' marvellous Italian infantry adj
vance up fortified terraces of this de-
fensive position, tells of the employ
ment Of ap Italian device used for the
first time in this battle., Its results
are disclosed, but description of the
sdevfce'is withheld. 1t is believed to
atieH-ef- enormous floats
caMxSpg heavier Ep4fF thasR any used
J In naval warfare and repnted to be
! the. largest eyer known and nov
type of shell.
According to the official account
this new instrument of warfare is be-
ing employed in dropping shells ON
the city of Trieste, the principal Aus
trian port. is fire. is sweeping the
Hermada in cooperation with the
guns of British monitors. The dis
patch Indicates thar Trieste is the
main objective of the Italian offensive
which appears to be on the point of
Nsuccess
~ Following Is that portion of the
officfA1 dispatch from Rome that is
made public: +,
& k1The bornbardmentr of the Austrian
4 positions was accompanied in y the
Gulf of Trieste by two English mopi-
ttors-and three great Italian monitors,
(which shelied and struck the most
Vital points of the Austrian defenses
with guns of such large calibre and
Hong range as the Austrians never be-
tfore Experienced. The Italian Navy
Ehas surpassed in calibre and range
mi ms
Eon special floats whose construction
hand detail are profund secret, ar
4tillery of a power exceeding any
Barmament on any Austrian dread
Thought
"The kalian navy has devised and
sinaugnrated a new system OF naval
g warfare. This element of surprise
was a part of the new enterprise in
the Gulf Of Trieste, While the artil-
lqry .fre was in progress over the
$arso, the Italian and English mont
Tors, escorted by -torpedo boats, motor
boats, submarines. and airplanes, pro-
sceeded to the Gulf of Trieste, crossing
: mine fields, and at p. m. the English
monitors opened fire against the
Hermanda;s slopes on the side oppo-
site the italian front, whereSthe Aus
TRAN reserves and artillery had been
tsThe SItalian sD5's were making
Hundreds of craters upon the sides
sand upon the high plateaux of the
EZermada while the Italian tnonitors
4ffaintained.a still mare terrific fire
HgainRtr -t7ae Austrian military build
fngs. and fdepots In the city of Trieste,
A large number of Italian airpianes
were constantly in the air over the
naval forces. expecting Austrian
AERIAL craft to come. OUT to- droT
bombs upon the ships but the Aus
trian flyers did Snot venture forth
The Austrian coastal batteries opened
fire. but the English monitors were
not hit, they refraining to answer the
COASTAL batteries sbombardment, but
directing all their fire against the
HeHrnAdA, stpppjpgs only when the
ItaliaRo irfa uAeheas their attack
n against the : HeEHala.na Visit
w. AT night the English monitors re-
turned, without having been damaged
The Italian monitors also stopped fir
ing at night During the lombard
= sient smoke was observed near Pola Il
being Learned that it issued from tht
Z Austrian j hattIeahips, which had
'steSned Jin put fdidto nota dare risl
Gom1pEo9uSrsw dSihw at1sq sEt
The Apstriana commando discover
ing that the top of the Hermada wal
being dominated by the Italian artil
laFy due to the Intervention of tn,
f9W ltelian monitors, ordered tn,
Austrian aviators to destroy the Ital
Ian monitors during the night. Tn,
enemy aircraft came out, but wer,
compelled by the anti-aircraft gun
to. Withdraw, after dropping a grea
many bombs, without result. one Aus
TRAN airplane, remaining longer thai
the others, being shot down and it
occupants perishing.
"Tr1estes'is still under fire of thu
Italian naval guns. and the italian sue
cesses are causing the Austrian com
uland great unrest. 81 The Austrian
have lost more than four lines, which
have been broken by the Italians; tn
10th Austrian Division was annfhi1at
ed; in a: small zone ons the Carso sew
eral Austrian regiments. notably TIL
Beth one of. Austria's, bravest, wer
completely wiped out Of existence
and while fronting an Italian arm
corps the 23rd Austrian Army Corp
lost 4.433 soldiers prisoners with tw
ColoneIss and several other superio
officers among the 143 officers ther
captured.
1.-THE Hermada sees the Italian line
drawing nearer and nearer Sine
yesterday the Austrians have bee
shelling the italian lines with ori1
fhe largest calibred guns. which ar
OF long range, all the smaller gun
having been taken to the rear to. pre-
vent their being, captured by tn
Italians,
The Herrnada is a mountain not 3
very high altitude. but extended an
rocky. and is isolated between tn
Carso and the sea-. 1t is the stronges
fortress barring the way of the Ital
iaas to Trieste. On its slopes ar
innumerab1e deep grottoes which ar
able to accommodate and shelter tn
heaviest artillery. Guns of ever
calibre are spread over every side
the mountain On the slopes of tn
Inountains are fortified terraces, lik
great stairs. stretching from the has
to the summit. An enormous nun
Ger OF machine guns protect the has
aof this fortress
~ The Herrnada was attacked by tn
Italians from three SIDES sinnultaps
h1sly. from the front and the mort
~ Italian ARTILLERY and froffr the sc
ny the batteries of the Italian an
English monitora. Airplanes at til
same time were dropping bombs upo
1.-THE Austrian works from the SIX
During the artillery attack the mour
tain seemed like a volcano. TIL