ARMIES IN BELGIUM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15689, 17 August 1914, Page 7

ARMIES IN BELGIUM.

GERMANY'S HUGE ARMY,

FRENCH CONCENTRATION.

MILLION MEN ON FRONTIER

Brussels, August 14.

German troops are still pouring through the gap in Luxemburg towards France. , They have reached Spincourt and Ar'on, across the French frontier, but were repulsed at Bastognc, in Belgium, on Wednesday, by the French. It is estimated that seven German army con*, totalling 250,000 men, are in the Meusc Valley. ' The French troops are pouring through the Valley of the Ourthe, westwards of Luxemburg, towards Naniur and Huy. The Ourthe is being heavily entrenched to hamper pursuit in case of possible defeat by General von Emmich's troops. Including an army cor which is being brought from Algeria, Franco has an army of 22 army corps in Belgium. The Belgian forces .comprise three array corps, making a, total of 1,000,000 men opposed to Germany. The German Army comprises 23 army corps and two Austrian corps The Adrians include the famous Turco sharpshooters, who aro still remember ?d for their reckless bayonet ahargea in Upper Alsace in 1870.

The military force in Algeria constitutes tho 19th I'ropch Armr Corps. The nativo troops of tb.p corps comprise three regiments of Algerian Tirailleurs-Turcos-'to of six battalions, and one of eight, numbering ajbout 60,000 men; and three regiments of Spain*, or Arab cavalry, each ,if fivo 6quailrons, numbering about 2500 men. A regiment of the Algerian Tirailleurs fought, with magnificent courage at the battle of Froeschwiller, in the FrancoGerman War of 1870. Under a terrific artillery fire they repeatedly charged with the bayonet into dense masses of the Germans and maintained order even after thev had lost 92 per cent, of their officers and 85 per cent, of their men- Black troops were first employed by Franco in Europe in the Napoleonic wars.