916, hostile aeroplanes
bombarded the town of Setio, fifteen miles from Vicenza, killing six
persons, wounding many others, and doing considerable material damage.
The aerial attack on Setio was the third reported in one week on
Italian cities, following raids on the districts of Ravenna and Milan.
Setio is in northeastern Italy, fifteen miles south of the Austrian
border, and fifty miles northwest of Venice. On February 14, 1916,
Austrian aeroplanes dropped bombs on Rimini, but were chased to the
east by the fire of antiaircraft batteries.

In the last week of February, 1916, a report that Durazzo, an Albanian
port on the Adriatic Sea, had been evacuated by the Italian troops was
confirmed. The Italian brigade stationed there had been withdrawn, it
was officially declared. The Italian troops were drawn back in company
with Serbians, Montenegrins, and Albanians. Men and horses were
gathered together, revictualed, and transported with light losses in
the midst of grave difficulties, by the combined action of Italian and
allied warships and Italian troops along the Albanian coast. When the
evacuation was completed by the departure of the Albanian Government
from Durazzo, the Italian brigade assigned to the city began a
retreat, which was accomplished according to plan despite serious
attacks from the Austrian forces, which advanced as far as the
isthmuses to the east and north of Durazzo. The fall of the city of
Durazzo resulted from the defeat of the Italian and the Albanian
forces under Essad Pasha, the provisional president. A strong line of
outer defenses for the city had been constructed and the indications
were that a spirited resistance would be offered. The Austrian and
German forces attacked at daybreak. The defenders were soon ejected
from their positions at Bazar Sjak. Soon afterward the Italians on the
southern bank of the lower Arzen were forced to abandon their
positions. The Austrians crossed the river and proceeded southward. At
noon a decisive action east of Bazar Sjak drove the Italians from
strong positions. The same fate was suffered by the defenders of Sassa
Bianeo, six miles east of Durazzo. By the evening of February 23,
1916, the entire outer girdle of defenses was taken. The attackers,
advancing to the inner line positions, established the fact that the
Italians were embarking their troops hurriedly. The final result was
that the only position held by Italian troops in the Balkans was
Avlona in A