BRILLIANT FRENCH SUCCESS IN ALSACE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2225, 11 August 1914, Page 5

BRILLIANT FRENCH SUCCESS IN ALSACE

• TOWN OF MULHAUSEN OCCUPIED V. GERMAN LOSE 30,000 AND RETIRE IN DISORDER / By Telegraph—Press Assoeiallon-C/opyrighi / Paris, August 9. The French have advanced into Alsace-Lorraine from Belfort, the fortress near the point where the frontiers of' France, 1 Germany, and Switzerland meet, and French cavalry have occupied Mulhausen,; one of tho principal manufacturing towns of. Alsace, with a population of 95,000. General Joffre, the, Frenoh Commander-in-Chief, in a proclamation after the occupation of Mulhausen, Baid:' "Children, after forty-one years' sorrowful waiting, French soldiers once moro tread the soil iif your noble country. They 'are the pioneers of a groat work oE revenge. With what emotion and pride they will complete their, 'work." ' Tho.town of 'Altkirch,. ten miles from Mulhaußen, was also taken by the Frenoh, despite the faot that it was defended-by strong earthworks. The French and Germans were in about equal numbers. Tho French carried the breastworks after a fierce bayonet fight, the Germans breaking and retreating in dis- i order, and abandoning tho .trenches round tho town French dragoons, following, inflicted great losses. (Reo. August 10, 6.55 p.m.) , Paris, August 9. The French troops crossed the Alsatian frontier after fierce fighting, and are pursuing the enemy. Tho Alsatians were delirious with joy in welcoming the French and tore up the German boundary marks. An official, report of the fighting at Altkirch states that at nightfall on Friday tho French advance guard arrived at Altkirch, whioh was strong earthworks and occupied by a German brigade. .• The French and Germans were about equal in numbers. The French carried the breastwork after a fierco bayonet fight, the Germans breaking and retreating in disorder and abandoning the trenches and' town. % A regiment of Frenoh Dragoons followed in pursuit of the enemy, inflicting great losses, and reached Mulhsniscn at five o'clook «.n Saturday morning. A res port from Malwy states the French losses at Altkirch wero far less serious than is generally believed.' ' ' As the result of the brilliant victory Paris looked its happiest. \ THIRTY THOUSAND GERMAN CASUALTIES REPORTED. Brussels, August 8. Reports state that the German casualties m Alsace were thirty thousand. Berlin, August 9. It is announced that French troops from Belfort attacked a frontier guard ' in Upper Alsace, but that the incursion was stopped near Altkirch, and tho enemy returned to Belfort. BELGIAN'S STUBBORN DEFENCE OF - LIEGE TRENCHES PILED WITH GERMAN DEAD i / FRENCH ARMY HASTENING TO HELP BELGIUM '■•'' "i • t ■'l t' 'u. «. t- i. v . Brussels, August 8. An official source states that Liege has been invested, but the Belgians hold the forts. • The- bombardment of Liege is very intermittent. Tho German gunners are running short of shells, A number of German guns have been cap- ■' tured. V .■•-''■■ ■ M. Laiman, Professor of Mathematics at tho Belgian Military Academy who is sixty-two years of age, has displayed untiring energy. This is his first work as a practical soldier. .-■-■<■<• The morale of the Seventh and Tenth German Army Corps was seriously shaken by the withering Belgian fire, which mowed them down like corn. Many German shells-burst,in the streets of Liego, setting fire to buildings, A number ~\ of guns were captured. '■."■■'■'• : • When shells fell in Liege a thousand inhabitants, in panic, fled to Brussels and Tongeran, a town eleven miles north of Liege. The rest took refuge'in the cellars. Tho Burgomaster desired to surrender, but M. Leiman who was responsible for the defences, refused. Soldiers state that some of the trenches at Liege are piled from four to five feet high with German bodies. The "Echo dn Peuple" reports that among the wounded. prisoners at Liege is a nephew of tho Kaiser, who was commanding the German cavalry. Officers wounded at Liege state: ."The Belgian artillery was remarkably effoc- . tive, arid created an indescribable panic. .We observed indecision among lie German artillerists before taking up their positions. Whenever o projectile burst among them they retired. Though the Belgians displayed heroic courage, they . were too fatigued to withstand the impetuous onset ol the overpoworing German numbers. Many Belgian reservists, who had been working in the trenches for two and a half days, sustained serious lossos." ■A skirmish occurred ,between French and German cavalry, in Belgium and . Luxemburg.'• The Germans were defeated. They lost a number of prisoners. The French Army is reported to be well, up in Belgium. , Brussels, August 8. '■•''.■..' The French troops crossing the frontier were welcomed with .extraordinary enthusiasm by the Belgian soldiers. The non-commissioned offioors embraced each -other and kissed each other, and Belgian troops sang the "Marseillaise;" Muoh confidence is shown by the people of Antwerp, where the forts are considered impregnable. '

ENGLISH CORRESPONDENT'S NARRATIVE. / London, August 9., ' Dr. Dillon, the "Daily Telegraph" correspondent, states that during the night tlio entire strength of the German Sevonth Army Corps made a tremendous assault, but the Belgians manfully held the positions. Tho whole country around was illuminated by,searchlights, nud quaked like an earthquake. Daylight revealed hundreds of German corpses strewn in tho fields. : As the Germans advanced on Barchou, eight miles north-east of Liege, a Belgian mixed brigade effected a' daring counter attack from the Heights _ot Wandre. Their advance was as irresistible as the tide. The Germans stood for a few minutes awaiting the onset, and then fled in a panic: . . . The Seventh Army Corps was broken, and a few hours later 5000 fugitives passed through Maastricht, in Holland, where they were fed, and' then went on to Aix-la-Chapello. If this is correct it raises an _ international problem of some niomeut. ". GERMAN STORY OF THE CAMPAIGN. Berlin, August 8. The German version of the confliot at Liege states that the German advance gnards penetrated the entire Belgian frontier, and a small detachment tried for a coup de main with great boldness at Liege. Soma of tho cavalry entered the city with the object of seizing the .commander of the forces, who only saved himself by flight. - . ' .The attaok on tho fortress was unsuccessful on the whole. The hostile foreign press will naturally characterise the incident—which has no influence upon tiia larger operations—as a defeat. It is announced that the Eighth Kuesian Cavalry Brigade attacked the Germans near Soldau, in the south-west of the province of East Prussia. Civilians around Liege fired on German doctors, and the troops acted similarly against patrols opposite Metz. ~ . • If! francs-tirpurs (irregular troops) make, war on the : troops, Germany will punish them inexorably. , ■ • BELGIAN CAVALRY HEM IN GERMANS. / '' London, August 9. The Belgian Legation states that a Belgian cavalry division has rapidly advanced west from-Liege, and the Germans who got across the Mouse are hemmed between the forts and the cavalry. Router states that the Germans have evacuated Luxemburg owing to the Frenoh advance. The Brussels "Gazette" states that Germany has sent an urgent telegram threatening vigorous reprisals in future. GERMANS MOVE TOWARDS HUY/ '....- '.'''' (Keo, August 10, 8.80 p.m.) ■ '■.■..■.!■' ...Brussels, August 8, Afternoon. . The three German Army Corps at Liege remain in position while an im« portant movement of German troops is in progress towards Huy, a fortified town on the east side of tho Meuse, half-way between the two principal fortresses of Liege.and Namur. It is suggested that the/Gormans intend to concentrate five Army Corps And attack the main Belgian Army before the French arrive. The Germans'seek to cross the Meuse by passing round the, forts to the north towards ■Vise, and between Liege and Huy. German cavalry is already between Liege and Namur, •■ \ ' The Belgian Army is ready, and the French is in touch. The Germans detached the Third Army Corps,- known* aathe "Iron Corps," from the advance towards theh Eiver Meurthe, in the Nancy district, to attack Liege. The six forts attacked on Thursday were Barchon, Evegnos, Fleron, Chaudfontaine, Embourg', and Boncelles, all on tho cast of the Meuse. The principal attack was on the spacM between tho forts, thirteen thousand beingihurled on one space protected by trenches and barbed wire, A terrifying spectacle was witnessed of creeping masses of meh. advancing under the blinding glare of searchlights, those in front carrying'nippers, tho guns in the.'cnpolas of the forts meanwhile belching forth shots-and the machine guns on the parapets firing incessantly. The Germans got through between Fleron and Evegnes, and shelled tho city, but all the forts are intact. _, ', ~ V,. , ' „ „ . • Brussels, August 8, 10 p.m. . The general situation has been further improved by the French army advancing steadily. The official announcement of the French capture of Mulhauseri, in Alsace, aroused tremendous enthusiasm. .. ; • .' GOVERNOR AND BISHOP THREATENED WITH DEATH, ■ J (Eeo. August 10, 10.15 p.m.) ' i - •_,.,,'■■ v Amsterdam, August 9, midnight. _ The Germans: hold the Governor of the Province of Liege'and the Bishop of Liege as hostages, and threaten to put them to deifth if the forts continue their fire. Refugees' state the inhabitants of Liege are firing 'on the Germans from windows, and all caught doing so are instantly shot. Some railwayman* and 25 ethers were arrested at Berneau, near Vise, and accused of firing on the Germans. They wore driven at the bayonet-point into the' firing line before the forts. Three comrades wore killed and the rest pretended to be dead. They escaped at nightfall, . , .;•'■''" "WE HOLD LIEGE FAST IN OUR HANDS." . (Reo. August 10, 11.10 p.m.) \ ..,,,,.,,, , London, August 9. An Amsterdam cablegram, dated 10.30 p.m., August 8, states that the Mowing official message has been received from Berlin (Brussels?):—"We hold Liege fast in our hands. The losses of the enemy- aro considerable." .. LEGION OF HONOUR FOR BELGIAN ARMY. : '<':': : A '.;.,:i ■••!.! '.'.'■ F.^'CEtec,:-August ;10,'6.55 p.m.) . . - ': ■■■ ~ ;.,«.•'■' Paris, August 9. The. President, M. Pomoare, telegraphed to the King of the Belgians that me' Government .had decided to decorate the valiant City of Liege with the Legion of Honour, with its brave defenders and the whole of the Belgian Army with which the Fronoh Army has been, shedding its blood on the battlefield since tho morning.. ' ' M.'Poincare's last phrase refers to the fighting at Marbehan, in the Belgian Province of Luxemburg, where a Brussels report states that Bavarian troops were defeated. ■v. . GERMAN SUBMARINE SUM INNORTHSEA !••■■;'.'.■. REPORTED NAVAL BATTLE DENIED GOEBEN STILL AT LARGE IN MEDITERRANEAN (Rec. August 10, 9.80 p.m.) m , ... ~, , , ~ , ' -,-• . London, August 10, morning." ■ The Admiralty fitates that Gorman submarines yesterday attacked one or tho oruiser squadrons of the main Fleet. No British ships were damaged. The German submarine Uls was sunk. . The German submarine ■ TJIS, which was sunk, wa3, built at the Germania yard. She was a vessel of 800 tons, .and carried two guns. .On the surface she could do 17 knots, and submerged shfe was capable of maintaining a speed of 12 knots. ... - | There is intenso anxiety for definite news from the (North Sea'. Mr. Winston' Churchill states that there has been no British loss except tho Amphion, and no fighting except that with the Koenigen Luise. It is believed that the Koenigen Luise was engaged in mine-laying for several days (before Britain declared war. The Amphion was lost through striking a cable connecting two mines which converged and exploded. The Ampnion floated for twenty minutes.—"Times" and Sydney "Sun" service. ■-..•■ ( . Some of-tho newspapers have republished the story of a great naval battle and the sinking of nineteen German ships. ■ v Mr. M'Kenna, the Home Secretary, strongly' protested in the House of Commons against the publication- ,of false news to promote newspaper circulation. ' GERMAN WARSHIPS IN THE BALTIC. (Keo. August 10, 5.30 p.m.) Copenhagen, August 9, morning. Fourteen German warships passed the Great Belt sailing northwards to Sveaborp. in the Gulf of Finland. _ .' The German warships' have laid a line of mines in the Kattegat. BATTLESHIP ON FIRE IN THE ADRIATIC. ''■■'-' "Rome, August 8. The Austrian Fleet is off Pola, the chief naval station of Ansti'ia-Hungary, near tie south end of the Peninsula of Istria, 105 miles by rail, south of Trieste. . • (Rec. August 10, 10 p.m.) ' Paris, August 9, morning. A message from Ancona on the Adriatic coast of Italy states that a battleship on fire was sighted drifting towards Pola. The nationality of the vessel is not known. ■.-.., GOEBEN LAST SEEN IN ADRIATIC SEA. ■'-,■,. Rome, August 9. The officers, and crew of the German warships Gooban and Breslau left their wills and property with the German Consulate at Messina. Tho crews dressed the vessels and the bands played the German National Anthem. The vessels then proceeded. There are eleven hundred men aboard the Goeben. Semaphore messages from the south coast report that the Goeben and Breslau are steaming through the Adriatic