THE SPIRIT OF BELGIUM

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 14 October 1914, Page 5

THE SPIRIT OF BELGIUM

"DIE, BUT NEVER BE SLAVES."

Th/e following letter has been received by Mr. Walter A. Cox, of Sydney, from the directors of Messrs Verrenes de Scailmont, Manage, Belgium. This glass works firm does a very large export trade .in tumblers to Australia and New Zealand:—

<<-rv Manage, Belgium, Aug. 8, 1914; Dear Mr. Cox,—By the time this letter reaches you you will, we expect, know the position we are in at present here.

i 'Everything is at a standstill. The norrors of war are upon us. ' Our brave troops are fighting those of the mad dog. Fortunately we are not alone, and France and England are with us in those anxious moments. Our joint efforts will drive the savages back to their haunts. We have every hope of doing so. Every civilised country on the face of the earth is with us. If we are to disappear from the map as a nation we shall be brave to the very last, and die, but never be slaves.

'Every available man under 50 is doing his duty, and if. this should be tne last letter you receive from us. we hope you will always l^eep a kind and pleasant remembrance of us "As business has totally stopped we do not feel inclined to write about commercial matters.' Pray God that we are successful in our "defensive work, and, if so, and the Geiimans are wiped off the earth, it will be the better for all. .

"We shall keep you posted up one way or the other weekly, until the last one of us has been hied.—All yours very sincerely,

"(Signed) G. Sacre (governing-direc- . tor, A. C. Stiernete, F. Fontaine, G. Marcha-nt, A. Jeune " (directors Verreries de Scailmont)."