the heights
northward. Monte Baldo and Monte Fiara fell into their hands. West of
Asiago the Austrian line south of the Assa Valley was advanced to the
conquered Italian position of Punta Gorda. The troops which had
crossed the day before the Posina took Monte Priafora.

This brought the Austrians so near to Asiago that the Italians deemed
it wise to evacuate this town, holding, however, the hills to the
east. In spite of the gradual advance of the Austrian center, the
Italian wings held and severely punished the attacking Austrians. This
was made possible by the admirable Italian motor transports which
enabled the Italian command to bring up great reenforcements and stop
the gap made in the first line. The most serious loss which they
suffered was that of the big guns the Italians were obliged to abandon
on the Monte Maggio-Spitz Tonezza line.

The Austrian offensive was now in its second week. So far it had
yielded in prisoners 30,388 Italians, including 694 officers and 299
cannon.

Reviewing the Austro-Hungarian offensive up to this point, the
military critic of the Berlin "Tageblatt" says:

"The Austro-Hungarian advance is in progress on a front of thirty-one
miles between the Adige and the Brenta. This is about the same
distance as the front between Gorlice and Tarnow, in Galicia, over
which the offensive against the Russians was conducted thirteen months
ago.

"The general direction of the advance is toward the Italian line
running through Asiago, Arsiero, and Schio, which up to the present
time had been protected by advanced positions. This line represents
the third and last fortified defensive position, the strategic object
of which is to prevent an invasion of the Venetian plain.

"The Austro-Hungarian troops already have disposed of the loftiest
heights, which presents a situation favorable to them. When the heavy
artillery has been brought into place there will be visible evidence
of this.

"The total Italian casualties thus far are not less than 80,000 men.
The loss of more than 200 cannon is exceedingly serious for the
Italians, since they cannot be replaced during the war."

In spite of the fact that on May 30, 1916, the Austrians had forced
their way across the Posina torrent between Posina and Arsiero and
succeeded in partly enveloping the latter, a force which attempted to
take Sant' Ubaldo, immediately southeast of Arsiero, on May 31, 1916,
was driven back by the Italians beyond the Posina