Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-10-22
Thy Italian Craft Worry Austrian
Warshlps
King VICTOR'S TLRS Are GALLANT
The Big Austrian Drsadnoushts Are
Never Safe Even In Home Waters,
Because the Italians Are Always On
the Watch and Never Stop q. Any
thino.

10 an enemy attdckI tneTe are plOttSt-
ing islands like those Off the palma-
tian coast behind which the enemy
may move his ships in comparative
safety. to emerge into the opn sea
at whatever point he Ges:res. And
Italy found herself at war with Aus
tria with n practically undeicnded
coast.
As showing the peril Of her position.
within six hours of the declaration OF
war the Austrians were bombarGinS n
shipping harhor devoid of any protec-
ton. That small harbor has now
grown into a very active naval port.
Workshops. aviation sheds and i"fen-
sive batteries have sprung up like
mushrooms in the night. Some such
harhors have been so Transformed on
this coast. And along the great
stretch Of land Tapped by the erccny-
blue Adriatic, coastal batteries. avia-
ton bases, submarine stations and
other defensive devices have grown
and multiplied until now Italy feels
secure, so far as 1t is possible TO be
sure in such matters. against any
threatened invasion by sea. The whole
scheme of defense is linked by wire
less and telephone as Systematically
perfect as science can devise.
The railway, which as every one
knows, runs close to the sea. Is especial
~ useful for armored trains. There
are many of these. some for use
against aircraft and others for any
hostile vessels that might dare venture
out. To visit one battery is to visit
all: the same with converted harbors,
Each section fits into the main
scheme, which reflects genius Of or
ganization. good workmanship. and
discipline of high order. And for II all
the navy must take the credit.
Dashins Adventures Frequent.
But the work of this coast Is not all
defensive. have talked with COM
mandcrs Of submarines who by day
and by night brave the perils Of the
Adriatic. They are young. slim. keen
on their work, and relate hairbr"adth
escapes with as much hilarity as one
would tell a humorous story. There
arc also those who fly. Pola, Trieste
and other enemy. centers are regularly
visited and "peppered" with bombs.
And there are many dashing adventures
by motorboat. Who has not heard OF
the name OF Rizzo? So far nc holds
the sea record of having sunk two en-
cmy battleships. / have cruised with
him on his boat and have heard from
his own lips the tale Of his accom-
plishments.
Before the war RiZZo was In the mer-
chant service. A Sicilian, thirty-o one
years old, he is of average baii9, with
fine intellectual head. Like all he
roes OF the war. he Is extremely mod
est, but under the incessant fire" OF
group of journalists the facts were
gradually brought out. Some we OBJ
taincd while on his boat; others when
we were ashore. There are some de-
tails which, If my recollection serves
me right, differ from the original YER.
sion.
Motorboat Sinks Dreadnought.
This Is how he sank the Scent lst-
van in the Adriatic. With another
motorboat commanded by Lieutepant
Anzo Giuseppe. he had been mine
sweeping off the Dalmatian coast.
When making for his home station just
before daybrcak he fell in with two
Austrian dreadnoughts, escorted by
ten destroycrs. 4 man Of quick action
and determination, he made for the
fiotilla at full speed. firing two torpe-
does at the leading drcadnought as he
raced between the vessels. Both shots
went home and the dreadnought sank.
or the ten destroyers only one pursued
him, and she was SO close that her
shells passed over his little vessel.
Rizzo dropped depth charges over the
stern of his boat and in the wake OF
the pursuing destroyer, one OF which
she struck and was so damaged that
she had to give mp further pursuit.
Meanwhile Anzo Giuseppe, in the sec
against the second dreadnought. In
the subsequent confusion he also es-
capped.
There is nothing to add to the ac-
count of his sinking the Austrian bat
tleship Wien in Trieste harbor II
will be remembered that his men cut
the wire entanglements at the mouth
of the harbor, his boat shot through
and he torpedoed the .battlcship. and
the AuStrians allowed him to escape.
He told me that it took him nearly
twelve months working out the meth
cd of attack. And If | am not mis-
taken in the man we shall hear more
of him, and that very soon. II almost
seems incomprehensible that such
small craft. could do such serious dam
age. His motorboat seems only q few
feet long. A dirty little fat tub, some
might think her. hut one appreciates
her construction when on board and
she is making full speed. She is GER
tainly a wet craft. as we discovered
when she nosed her way through the
water But Rizzo regards her with
deep affection and probably prefers
her TO the finest vessel ever built.
AngIo-Saxon Unity.
Before leaving this port there was
a little gathering in the officers mess
deeply impressive of Anglo Italian uni
ty. A small group of British journal
lists stood in the center Of an assembly
Of Officers of the port, headed by the
vice admiral and his staff. And the
vice admiral. speaking in English,
said: y
81 am very glad to salute here.
among my proved collaborators of the
middle Adriatic navy, you representa-
tives Of the British press. England has
always been Italy's faithful friend. and
English and Italian hearts have always
been. as now their flags are, side by