favourably. The battle-front extends for sixty miles from the mountains
round - Monte Grappa,. between the Brenta and the Piave, to the Adriatic at the mouthiof the Piave. The battle opened with a vigorous attack in the mountains on the left, where the Italians by Saturday last had stormed Monte- Asolone and Monte Portion and secured their flank. On the Thursday night British troops on the right, forming part of the Italian Tenth Army under Lord Cevan, had Crossed the swollen Piave• and captured the islands or banks of shingle garrisoned by the Austrians. The passage was gained. Last Sunday the Tenth Army advanced across the river and broke through the Austrian positions to a depth of two miles, taking in all nine thousand prisoners. On Monday the Italians attacked in the centre, across the Piave due north of the Montello, and gained the heights, while the Austrians to right and left tried by fierce counter-attacks to check the advance. On Tuesday the whole line pushed forward rapidly. British troops crossed the Monticano River, five miles east of the Piave, moving in a north_ easterly direction. Lord Cavan reported that the enemy's resistance was weakening, and that the Austrian trenches near Asiago, west of the present battle-front, had been evacuated.
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