across the north that there are only two points where serious
operations are possible. One is the Trentino Salient where Austria can
always threaten and invade Italy. She lies in the mountains with the
plains beneath her. She can always invade the plain, but the Italians
cannot seriously invade the mountains, since the passes would only lead
to other mountains beyond. Therefore their only possible policy is to
hold the Austrians back. This they have most successfully done, and
though the Austrians with the aid of a shattering heavy artillery have
recently made some advance, it is perfectly certain that they can never
really carry out any serious invasion. The Italians then have done all
that could be done in this quarter. There remains the other front, the
opening by the sea. Here the Italians had a chance to advance over a
front of plain bounded by a river with hills beyond. They cleared the
plain, they crossed the river, they fought a battle very like our own
battle of the Aisne upon the slopes of the hills, taking 20,000
Austrian prisoners, and now they are faced by barbed wire, machine
guns, cemented trenches, and every other device which has held them as
it has held every one else. But remember what they have done for the
common cause and be grateful for it. They have in a year occupied some
forty Austrian divisions, and relieved our Russian allies to that very
appreciable extent. They have killed or wounded a quarter of a million,
taken 40,000, and drawn to themselves a large portion of the artillery.
That is their record up to date. As to the future it is very easy to
prophesy. They will continue to absorb large enemy armies. Neither side
can advance far as matters stand. But if the Russians advance and
Austria has to draw her men to the East, there will be a tiger spring
for Trieste. If manhood can break the line, then I believe the Durandos
will do it.

'Trieste o morte!' I saw chalked upon the walls all over North Italy.