Our French Allies, whose lines in France have been comparatively
undisturbed during the week, have given the Austrians in Italy the first taste of their quality. Last Sunday, after a furious bombardment, the French stormed and captured Monte Tombs, between Monte Grappa on the west and the Piave on the east, which the Italians lost on November 21st after five days' resistance. It was one of those lightning-strokes on a limited objective by which the French have recovered their Verdun positions, and its effect was to fill a very critical gap in the Allied lines north of Venice. The French captured forty-four officers and 1,348 men, with seven guns and much material. On Monday the Italians scored a success on the Lower Piave, compelling the Austrians to retire from the bridgehead at Zenson which they occupied on November 12th. The western bank of the river as far as the hills is thus freed front the enemy, except in the flooded delta. On Boxing Day the enemy airmen made two raids on Treviso, as the result of which they lost eleven machines. Since then they have deliberately bombed Padua and other open cities full of famous monuments and art treasures. The Pope, we are glad to say, has protested against these outrages.
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