The Italian forces operating in the Trentino continued their activity during the fall and early winter of 1916, continual gains being made in their difficult undertaking.  General Cadorna began a new drive on Trieste in October, transferring the weight of his attacks from the Carso sector to the Trentino front.  The total number of Austrian prisoners taken on the Isonzo front from August 6 to October 12 was set by the Italian War Office at 30,880.  No decided advantage was gained by either side up to December 5, although the Italians continued to take many prisoners and much Austrian war material in the course of their operations, and in November compelled the Austrian generals to transfer many troops from the Roumanian front in order to cope with the Italian attacks, delivered in the most difficult terrain of the entire war and often under weather conditions that tried the hardihood of troops trained to Alpine warfare.

DEATH OF THE AUSTRIAN EMPEROR.

Francis Joseph, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, died at Schonbrunn Castle, near Vienna, November 21, at the age of 86.  He had ruled for sixty-eight years, his reign being marked by much turbulence in the empire, both political and social, and by a long series of domestic and personal disasters that culminated in the assassination of his nephew, the Archduke Francis Ferdinand, heir to the joint thrones of Austria and Hungary, which furnished the Teutonic excuse for the great war.  Francis Joseph was succeeded by his grandnephew, Archduke Charles Francis Joseph, of whose personality little was known outside Austria.

ZEPPELIN RAIDERS BROUGHT DOWN.

Several German Zeppelins were brought to earth on English soil during the progress of aerial raids in September and November, 1916.  Commander Robinson and Lieutenants Tempest and Sowery of the Flying Corps each accounted for one of the huge aircraft in the London district The former received the Victoria cross for his exploit.  The crew of one of the Zeppelins was captured, but in the other cases the crews perished with the airships, which fell flaming to earth.  Two more Zeppelins were brought down late in November on the eastern coast of England and fell into the sea.  One of these was destroyed nine miles from the coast by naval seaplanes and a patrol boat.

DEPORTATION OF BELGIAN WORKMEN.

A wave of indignation swept over the civilized world, already outraged almost beyond endurance by the unprecedented German disregard of international law and the recognized customs of war, when it was announced on November 10 that 30,000 Belgians had been deported into exile by the German authorities in Belgium.  It was alleged that all males between the ages of 17 and 30 were being sent in cattle-cars to Germany.  Cardinal Mercier of Belgium protested in the name of humanity, the men being ruthlessly torn from their families, and said the Belgians were being reduced to a state of slavery.  The Pope protested to the German government against the reported action, and the State Department at Washington made representations concerning it to Berlin.  The total number of Belgian males to be deported to work in German industries was alleged to be 300,000.  After investigation Viscount Bryce of England and many other statesmen and publicists denounced the German action as infamous.