tion,
the Austro-Hungarians made repeated attacks against Italian positions
south and southwest of Asiago. The action, raging fiercely throughout
the night of June 6-7, ended in the morning of June 7th with the
defeat of the Austrian columns. During the afternoon the Austrians
renewed their violent efforts against the center and right wing of the
Italian positions. Preceded by the usual intense bombardment, dense
infantry masses repeatedly launched assaults against positions south
of Asiago, east of the Campo Mulo Valley, but were always repulsed
with heavy losses.

Concerning the Austro-Hungarian troops who had carried this offensive
into Italy, the special correspondent of the London "Times" says:

"Trench warfare, for the time being, has been abandoned here. Trench
lines no longer count.

"Great troop masses are maneuvering in the open, through the valleys
and gorges, swarming over the summits of these mountains. The
Austrians dare advance only as far as the long arm of their guns will
reach, and are bending all their energy to bring up these guns. It is
a gigantic task, and the skill of the enemy commander in holding
together and coordinating his attacks, now that his troops have
entered these defiles, must be acknowledged.

"It is sledge-hammer tactics, so dear to the Prussians, that the
Austrian commanders have adopted, and from the general aspect of their
plans, it would appear that these were prepared and matured in Berlin
rather than in Vienna.

"How long can it last? How long before the Austrian effort will have
spent itself?" are the questions that are being asked here as the
second week of this great battle is drawing to a close. For, unlike
Verdun, it is not a fortress that is being assaulted, but a great
drive, carried on by siege methods. Not converging on a single center,
but radiating, like sticks of a fan, from a central base.

"So much has been written regarding the exhaustion of the resources of
the Dual Monarchy, not only of materials, but of men. In how far is
this true?

"To deal first with the question of ordnance. The Austrians, it is
estimated by competent experts, have well over 2,000 pieces of
artillery in action along this battle line. These include a great
number of heavy-caliber guns. Naval guns, with an extreme length of
range, are being used with great skill throughout the engagement. Kept
in reserve, and silent, though posted close up to the firing line,
they have had a discon