Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-19
ATTEMPTS TO CROSS RIVER
REPUlSED WITH BIG LOSSES
Vienna Report Claims Enemy
Has Gained Ground at
Important Points.
FIERCE GuNF1RE is RAGING
Conditions on French Battle Front
Continue at Standstill, With
Big Guns Still Roaring.

e -'uS'F'dn PihceTS are not closing
upon italy with :he precision Of .ast
October when they forcei bac,; .he
Italian armies Of General Cadornu from
the Julian APPS to the pia-e River
from the northern mountain regions
aimos. to the plains OF venetia. In
fact, they do not seem to be closing a.
| all
Tne upper jaw in the Venetian Aims
Is stalled under the resistance OF the
| "ritish. French and Italian forces, and
tho nethe" one seems to lack the fo-cc
necessary to bring it across the Piaya
RlVer and push back the Italian trcops
which ar- closging it's path
I'D The Alps the Austrians have been
una6lc further to advance their lines
since their initial onslaught last week
everywhere from the Asago plateau
sector eastward to tho Piave River all
their attacks nave quickly been re-
| iulSed By the allied troops who. In
heir turn have delivered counterat.
tacEs. reaaine,l lost terrain. inflicted
heavy casualties on the enemy and
taken a considerable number oS. pi issf
oncrs.
All along the Piave River from the
| mountain passes through which the
torrent wcnds its way scuthwcrd on
it's race TO the -,driatic Sea, fierce fight
ing is going or especially on the Mon
'ello plateau in tho region of the
famous Ienson loop and farther solth
! from Fossalta to the marsh country
around Capo Silc. some twenty miles
east os Venice
The Italian War Office announces that
! the enemy everywhere Is being held
along the Piave. On the crucial sec
tor of the Montello plateau. which bars
I hn
Venetian plains, the Italians have
strengthened their positions on The
northern edge OF the plateau and re-
! pulsed two enemy attacks to advance
! on the northern border. Likewise TO
/ HE south near MaScrada and Candelu
attempts by tho AuStrians 20 effect rev
| crossings of tho piave we're frustrated
with heavy losses.
VIENNA REronTS CLAIM
ENEMY MADE GAINS
From Vienna comes variant report
lt docs not concede to the allies any
gains of ground in the mountain re-
Eior saying that all thei: countcrat-
tacks were repulscd. Concerning the
lighting along the Piave, it asserts that
the Austrians have gained ground at
numerous points and that the battle
is following its intended course Com
solidation of the gains on The Montello
plateau and progress on the southern
wing, which runs from Fossalta TO Mes
tire. are claimed.
In addition. the Austrian War O!ice
says the number of prisoners taken In
The fighting has Increased to 80, 900 and
i20 guns. in addition to mine throwers
and machine guns and war material,
have been captured The prisoners
ba al
point amounted to 1850 which would
bring their total and tho5c of the al
lies we'll in the neiShborhood of 5000.
tnotiic.al adviceS are to the effect that
The AustrianS have thrown fourteen
bridges across the Piave along front
of about fourteen and = half miles te-S
tween Zenson loop and the Conegliano.
railroad bridge but the Italians are.
heavily engaging the enemy at all
points and have the pontoons under
their gunfire.
ARTILLERY STILL ROARs
ON FRENCH BATTLE FRONT
The conditions on the battle front
il. France continue practically at a
standstiil. but the big guns are roar
ing on several sections, and it is not
Improbable that lighting a large
scale will be resumed some where
shortly. Along the Ancre, south Of
Albert and west OF Serre. the Brit
ish and Gcrmans are engaged in
mighty artillery duels. while spirited
activity is noticeable along the
French sectors near Montdidier and
between Montdid!er and the Aisne.
The French continue daily TO regain
ground taken from them in the re-
cent German offensive south OF the
Aisne. and also to take prisoners In
their enterprises.
Several attempts by the Germans to
penetrate the Amer hcan lines in the
Marine sector have been smashed by
the American .machine-sun fire. M
HINTS COMING FROM ITALY
OF COUNTERoFFENsIvE
There are hints OF a Commemorative
In reports from Italy. The success OF j
the Italians two weeks ago In the
mountainous country to the west OF
L.