GERMANS OUTSIDE OSTEND

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2236, 24 August 1914, Page 5

GERMANS OUTSIDE OSTEND

, RAPID ADVANCE FROM BRUSSELS ' ' HEROIC REARGUARD FIGHTING BY THE BELGIANS. v (Press Association Extraordinary.) . (Reo. August 23, 10 a.m.) ■ . London, August 22, 8 a.m. The Germane hare occupied Ghent. London, August 22, 10 a.m. The Germans »re outside Ostend. An army corps left Brussels moving ' westward, and occupied Ghent at noon without resistance. From Ghent the advance posts moved qoastwiso, presum ably to seize Ostend. Tho German westward - movement continues'on both banks of'the Mouse beyond tho radius of the Namur forts. The Burgomasters of tho rural communes disarmed tho Civic Guards in order to prevent the enemy firing on peaceful citizens. Ghenjt telegrams describe the piteous condition of burnt and pillaged villages along tho lino of the German advance. Sad spectacles were witnessed as thousands of Belgians came streaming into Ghent. , Amsterdam, August 22, morning. Bruges and Ostend are crowded with refugees. (Reo. August 24, 0.5 a.m.) Paris, August 23. Reuter's agent at Ghent roports that the Germans arc marching towards the French border, via Audonarne (fifteen miles,south-west of Ghent). , German lanceis appeared at Esschen, .north of Antwerp. Tho Fourth Army Corps, which, is covering the German right wing, is spread out along the Dutch, frontier. . v . . jGhent is an ancient city which ha« only in part been transformed by the march of modern improvements. It is the capital of East Flanders; and in 1912. had* a population of 167,477. Standing at the junction of the Scheldt and the Lys, the town is divided by these rivers (including the small streams Lieve / and Morere) and by. canals, some navigable, into numerous islands connected by over two hundred bridges of various sorts. Within the limits of Ghent,.which is six miles in circumference, aro many gardens, meadows, and promenades: and, though its characteristic lanes are gloomy and narrow, there are also broad new strews and fine quays and-docks. The mait conspicuous building in tho oity is the cathedral of St. Bavon, which contains, among other art treasures, four out of the original twelve panels of the "Worship of the Lamb," by Hubert and Jan van Eyck. The principal squam of the city was in padt the scene of many historical incidents, such as the homage of the burghers to tho Counts of Flanders and the auto-da-fes under the Spanish regime. In the corner of the square stands a remarkablo cannon, known as Dullo'Griete (Mad Meg), 19ft. long and lift; in circumference. It bears the arms of Philip tho Good, puke of Burgundy, and must have been cast between 1419 and 1467. There are in the city many fine modern buildings side by sido with those jf ancient date. A thirteenth century_ tower on tho Scheldt is used as tho office . )f the provincial records. Ghent is the site of a State University, attended by about 550 students. As a manufacturing centre, tho town, though not so conspicuous as it was in-the middle age.-,, is of considerable importance. As a trading contre it is.even more important. It has direct communication with tho sea by a ship canal. Ghent .lias had, a stormy history, and suffered greatly in the long • struggle of the Netherlands against Spain. Ghent is ;not defended by fortifications.

Ostend is the most fashionable seaside resort, and the second port, of the kingdom of Belgium. Situated on the North Sea,, it forms almost tho central .' point on the 42 miles of coast-lino that belongs to Belgium. It has been mentioned as one of the ports at which British troops might land.in Belgium,and no doub.t may have been the port of disembarkation for a portion of the British Expeditionary Force now operating in that country. , In 1912 Ostend ned.a population of 43,002. During the middlo ages the place was strongly fortified, and underwent several sieges. Tho most notable was that of•' 16011604, when it only surrendered by order of the State to Spinola. In 1865 the last vestiges of its ramparts were removed, and since that date, but inbre especially since 1898, a new town has been created. The parade, constructed of solid granite, extends for over two miles along tho shore in a southed? 'direction from the long jetty which protects the entrance to the port, A-fin'o casino and the royal'chalet are prominent objects along the sea-front, and the sea bathing is unsurpassed. In the rear of tho town is a fine park, to which a racecourse has been added. Important harbour improvements and dock and quay extensions' have been carried out since 1900. The docks accommodate ships.' of large tonnage, and apart from these docks Ostend has a very, considerable passenger and provision traffic with England, and is the lion.-l----quarter-s of the Belgian fisLing fleet, estimated to employ 400 beats and'l6oo • men. and boys:, Ostend is in direct railway communication with .' Brussels, . Cologne* and Berlin. . Ifc. is also .-the starting poiiif. of several light railways along the coast, and to the southern towns or Flanders.

THE ENEMY IN BRUSSELS. , ■ London, August 21. 'i'lie Germans entered Brussels at 4 o'clock on Thursday. The Belgian authorities announced that firing, upori German patrols would be punished as a criminal offence. Tho railway bridges at the capital were left intact in order to avoid tho destruction of the town. The Germans threatened to lay the city in ruins if a shot was fired from tho entrenchments. Tho Belgian' War Oi'Gce ordered the Civic Guard to disarm. Many of the men sat in tho entrenchments, weein'ne because they wero not allowed to fight. . Tho Press Bureau states that Germany bas imposed on.Brussels a war contribution of £8,000,000. (Rec. August 23, 5.5 p.m.) „_ . Amsterdam, August 22. morning. When the German Army Corps, .headed by the, "Death's Head" Hussars, entered Brussels, the horse's were very exhausted, and cantered with difficulty. The troops took possession of the barracks on the heights commanding the city, andbehavorl in an exemplary manner. ■ j e T reasu rer of Brussels states that no possible coercive measures will induce them to givq the Germans even a fraction of the eight millions demanded as a war contribution. After informing the Burgomaster that he would be mado responsible in the event of hostile acts du the part of the populace, the Germans made a triumphal entry into Brussels. Uhlans led tho way, followed by horse and foot artillery aid sappers with a sisge train complete. Then came a hundred motor-cars, whereon quick-firers wero mounted. Every "regiment was preceded by its band, tho soldiers continuously singing the "Watch on the Rhine" and _ Dentschland Überalles." The army marched into the great square and thence into camps on the city heights. ■ ,■ ■ . The procession, occupied several hours. Some of the regiments presented , a fine appearance, and thoir fresh condition.points to their forming part of tho ' vast army which has been forming for the last fortnight behind the fighting * screen. Tho citizens of Brussels viewed the spectaclo in silence, although the sight of two Belgian officers manacled to the stirrup-leathers of Uhlans evoked a growl of resentment. Most of the shops were closed. Many thousands watched >tho procession. Only some two or three thousand Germans- remain in /Brussels, quartered in barracks. There are over a. i thousand German prisoners : at Ghent. ■ . ,„. ~. London, Aug. 22, evening. 'The Times" estimates that thirty-five to forty thousand Germans passed through Brussels, and that they must have 150,000 behind them. BELGIANS' STUBBORN RETIREMENT. ' _, . ■■'■■' Parts, August 21. Jhe Belgians found an excellent defensive position in tho high wooded country between Louvain and Brussels, where German cavalry opened out fan-shape and advanced rapidly. When they ran against the Belgian position the artillery punished "the Germans severely, forcing thorn to dig themsolves into cover. later, German artillery reinforcements arrived, but were unable ' to make an-impression on the Belgians, whose front was protected by marshy ground. Finally, the' Germans were compelled to retreat to the' further Bide of Louvain.'. -:■■■■.•- ■ • ' ■ . . . . . This Belgian force and the force holding' Wavre retired late in the afternoon to prevent the possibility of being outflanked. The Belgians arc now occupying tho field of Waterloo. The, brunt of the German attack fell on the Belgians'left, the French being practically untouched, but were compelled to alter the dispositions in order to preserve the continuity of-.the Allied lines: Ihe Germans are now threatening Maliiies, where Uhlans are active. mi „'" •'■.■•' - ■''- London, August 21. The Germans advancing on Louvain met a battalion of Belgian infantry with machine-guns. -The-Belgians-hurriedly lined the road and entrenched themselves in the fields on either side. Fifty Belgian lancers went out to scout, when suddenly a large force of Uhlans swept over the hill-top. The lancers withdrew upon tho entrenched infantry, and a duel, rifle versus artillery, was_ continued for an hour. ' . .;-,'■. Lbuvitj.a sleepy mediaeval town, was defended by a small force of infantry and cavalry,, who rttreated when the main body of Germans arrived. The Germans mado the , resistance a pretext for burning a number of houses. ■ (R-ec. August 23, 5.5 p.m.) , • London, August 21, evening. When the Germans stormed Diest many houses wero destroyed. A tremendous battle then doveloped along the lino. East of Louvain the German advance overwhelmed the' , Belgians by weight of numbers.'* Coming on in closo formation the Germans suffered enormous losses and marched over heaps of their oomrades' corpses. A German'aeroplane had audaciously reconnoitred .the Belgian positions. The carnage was simply murderous at Acrschot (some miles, north-east of Louvain); By noon the Germans entered Louvain in motor-cars mounted with machine guns. The Belgians fell back on-Malines and Antwerp. When the Uhlans entered Brussels they seized all motor-cars as conveyances for light guns. Their uso of, qiiiekfirers mounted on motor-cars is a special, feature of the campaign in Belgium. Near Dyle, x betweeii Brussels and Mahncs, a battalion of German infantry was almost destroyed in crossing a mined field. , ■■■,:•'■ ■ ' The battle preceding the occupation of, Brussels started at daybreak on Tuesday) near Geetbetz, south of Diest. The Germans opened the attack with a large force of oavajry, infantry, artillery, and machine guns.-. A fierce battle ■ensued The Germans attacked Haolen and other points on the road to LouVain. They tried to break the Belgian lines near Geetbetz, , but dismounted' ißelgian cavalry-for two lumra maintained the,position, a hot fire from the eniwenchmehte annihilating the Germans' advancing lines. Eventually the Belgians were outflanked, and elowly retired. Two Belgian -squadrons, numbering 240 men, for; a long time withstood two thousand .Germans, but were finally compelled to retire. '■■'■, ■'■;,<:""• : . (Rec. August 22, 6.15 p.m.) . , ■■'•'■'• ■ Ghent, August 21; evening. Ihe Belgians have taken up a position round Antwerp The Germans at Aerschot advanced in,' close formation as at Liege' and , suffered heavily.