Declaration of war between Italy and Germany—Effect of declaration at Udine—Interesting incident—General Cadorna consents to give me a sitting for a sketch—The curious conditions—Methodic and business-like—Punctuality and precision—A reminder of old days—I am received by the Generalissimo—His simple, unaffected manner—Unconventional chat—“That will please them in England”—My Gorizia sketch book—The General a capital model—“Hard as nails”—The sketch finished—Rumour busy again—A visit to Monfalcone—One of the General’s Aides-de-camp—Start at unearthly hour—Distance to Monfalcone—Arctic conditions—“In time for lunch”—Town life and war—Austrian hour for opening fire—Monfalcone—Deserted aspect—The damage by bombardment—The guns silent for the moment—The ghost of a town—“That’s only one of our own guns”—A walk to the shipbuilding yards—The communication trench—The bank of the canal—The pontoon bridge—The immense red structure—The deserted shipbuilding establishment—Fantastic forms—Vessels in course of construction—A strange blight—The hull of the 20,000 ton liner—The gloomy interior—The view of the Carso and Trieste through a port-hole—Of soul-stirring interest—Hill No. 144—The “daily strafe”—“Just in time”—Back to Udine “in time for lunch”—Return to the Carso—Attack on the Austrian positions at Veliki Hribach—New Difficulties—Dense woods—Impenetrable cover—Formidable lines of trenches captured—Fighting for position at Nova Vas—Dramatic ending—Weather breaking up—Operations on a big scale perforce suspended—Return London await events 281 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS FACING PAGE The Author in San Martino del Carso _Frontispiece_ During the entire day the onward march continued 11 Rugged and threatening, visible for miles around, is the frowning pinnacle of bare rock known as Monte Nero 26 It meant practically scaling a cliff of rock 38 A rude altar of rough boxes was set up 50 The King appeared indefatigable and was out and about in all weathers 62 Along the big military highway constructed by Napoleon 74 As he whirled past in the big car 88 The whole region was positively alive with warlike energy 100 A very useful-looking Nordenfeldt quick-firer mounted on the fore-deck 112 Before us stretched the broad valley of the Adige 124 On one of the worst portions we passed a gang of peasant women carrying barbed wire up to the trenches 136