GERMANS ADVANCE IN FORCE ON LILLE.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2237, 25 August 1914, Page 5

GERMANS ADVANCE IN FORCE ON LILLE.

'/-',, BATTLE REPORTED % PROGRESS. ALLIES SAID TO BE MASSED NEAR BORi)ER. . .. By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright . " ■ . (Rec. August.24, 845 p.m.) . /', , ." It » estimated that 200,000 German soldiers riJK M more went in the direction of Antwerp, Sd IO.oSS' CferpV m Brussels under Count von Arnim, commander cf tho Fourth Amy The equipment of the whole German Army is perfect in every detail ' advices state that the Germans are marching in considerable'force Sarfs5 toB all c6m ****. SecS *" <"pi,« .. a a Amsterdam, August 23. evacuated.S^ , d-ftSlS l !^ hHt **" *"■*• * m * *™ .ifUVi 1 ' fi fortress and the headquarters of the French First frontier of Belgium. At the Before 1858,- tEo town fortified by Vaubau about lm KrS™? ,« ir T ° i area of about 2500 yards by 1300. but tho ramoarts o!v Z P itlf.-f' 1 ! ICd been demolished an* tho ditehes filled u p thWaccbe L ° h h T great Boulevard do la Liberie, which extend "in a strSt lZ from tit station of the railway to the citadel The munes of Esquermes, Wayemmes, and Moulino-Lille, the'area of tli« -Sn being thus more than doubled. The enceinte is pie Wed by numerou <S including water gates for:the canal of-the Doulo and the AbS owl fen extends into a marsh w tho south-west corner of tho town. The citadel 5 contains the barracks and arsenal; is surrounded bv public gardens $*, j! is situated in a well irrigated and" fertile plain on thoVeulef a rive/ It is a very important manufacturing place.. The town was founded i, the 11th century, and was hold successivelsUuring the wars in Flanders by Austria and Spam. Jn 1792 it was severoly bombarded by the Austrians at the outbreak of the Revolutionary Wars, ;but the sioge failed and had te be raised! ./ DISPOSITION OF THE ALLIES' FORCES. ■•.•'.' (Rec. August 24, 8.1-5 p.m.) m " ~™ ~ _, .- ~„ London, August 24. Tho "Daily telegraph's" correspondent states that half a million of the Allies occupy a triangle, of which the npex.is Namur. On one side are Charleroi and Mens, on tho. other Namur and Givet, tho baso being through Fbilippevilld. \ The east'side is covered by the River Mouse and the west by the Sambre River; while the baso rests on Mons, a fortified line, including •M.inbenge. ■'■ '■■•■. • . . • The position is excellent for artil,le r _ r , while tbe many roads make a retreat easy in the event of a defeat, but the eastern country is difficult for German movementj. The Germans advancinp; on Mons olid Ohftfleroi will have no defensive positions for a'beaten army. '

„ Tho indications are that the German eastern attack will be based on Rochefort and Circy. . The distance, from Mons to Narnur is forty miles, and Charleroi is about mid-way between the two points.' From Namur to Givet is twenty-two miles as the crow flies; and from Givet to Mons is about 45 miles. Philippevillo lies on this line, about 13 miles west of Givet. The distance- _ from Mons to Lille, on which fortress the Germans are reported to bo marching from' Brussels, is forty miles. The' French fortress of Manbego is situated about ten. miles behind tho line from ISlo'iis to Givet. Rochefort and Oiroy, on which the Germans are expected to base their eastern attack, lie about a dozen miles east of the Namur-Givot line, and aro eleven'miles apart. THE DEFENCES OP ANTWERP. Antwerp, August 23. The people of Antwerp are cutting down plantations and destroying villas and cottages in order not to afford the Germans cover. Earthworks have been thrown up and field and heavy artillery placed in new defenco works in order to reinforce the forts. The sale of'alcohol has been forbidden, except by chemists. ' ' A body of Uhlans reached the outskirts of Malines, half-way between Brussols and Antwerp, but. were drawn off. Belgian machine-guns, on armoured motor-cars, botly pursued them. Antwerp, trains are running to Ghent and the Dutch frontier. It is not expected that the Germans will occupy Ostend in any force. There are seven thousand refugees in Ostend. Pitiful scenes are' seen in the streets, -the majority of the people being destitute. Tho barracks and public buildings' have been converted into sleeping quarters. i BRUSSELS COMPLETELY .ISOLATED. London, August 22. "The Times" military correspondent writes:—"The entry of the Germans into Brussels will make for a great clatter in the German Press, but we can' afford to remain completely indifferent.. Thero is no glory in entering an undefended capital of the enemy's country. Napoleon on suoh an occasion sarcastically wrote to Field-Marshall Murat: 'Wo can post that little bulletin on to Berlin.'" , '-- Brussels is completely isolated. The Burgomaster in a proclamation urged the cifens to give no guidance regarding tho movements' of the Belgian army, pointing out that the laws of warfare forbid the Germans using force to obtain such information.—"Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services. , GERMAN LEVIES ON BRUSSELS CITY. ■'■ . (Reo. August 24, 9.46. p.m.) - ■'>./•'

•-.'"' Ostend, August 24. The German commander has placarded Brussels that he is forced by circumstaiices to make' levies, and .requests the' population to acquiesce and not to adopt in aggressive attitude; otherwise ho will be obliged to inflict severe measures. ' ' ' . • , ' ~ ••' The Germans every evening seize the day's receipts or the Brussels tramways. , The General Staff at Brussels is requisitioning food and other supplies, but private soldiers are paying for everything they obtain. The officers do not pay easily but give cheques. . • . ; Lively scenes are witnessed in the principal hotels. The German officers drink champagne,, dance with tho girls, and converse freely with the inhabitants. . ,'. LIEGE NOT YET SUBDUED. !■-■■ ' (Bee. August' 24, 8.15 p.m.) ' ' i Ostend, August 24. _ ' The Minister of Justice states that the forts at Liege and Namur still hold out, \ / (Rec. August 24, 11.30 p.m.) Amsterdam, August 24. A correspondent of the "Gazette de Hollande," who visited Liege, says the streets are full of commandeered motor-cars flying at breakneck to all parts of the city carrying soldiers with loaded rifles. Two of the forts still hold out, but German siege guns, mounted on the other forts, are bombarding the two, and the latter are unable to answer tho fire, because damage would be done to tho city. The Germans admit that of three thousand menfof the 53rd Infantry Regiment only five hundred were' alive after the attack on the Liego forts. London, August 23. The "Daily Chronicle's" correspondent at Amsterdam says that tho situation of the citizens at Liege is very unfavourable. A shot was fired from a house on Friday \- when the Germans immediately opened firo from machine guns, destroying twenty houses and killing the inmates. They., burut ten other houses../ All the money in private banks has been confiscated. The Germans, in-taking Over the Cockeril ammunition factory at Liege, guaranteed the Belgian employees fifty per cent, inoreaso in wages and handsome bonuses.for their loyalty.. Not a siuglo worker responded.—"Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services. 1 ■■'•.-'' ' • ■.-■■■:■■' Paris, August 23. Tho Liege tribute demanded by the Germans comprise two millions from the province and the remainder from the city...,... , .-■,- GERMAN JUSTIFICATION FOR WAR TRIBUTE. (Rec. August 24, 11.30 p.m.) ' • , v ■ London, August 24, morning. The "Cologne' Gazette," in justifying the fines.on Brussels and Liege, states 'that the war tribute has been exacted as a punishment for the bad treatment/of Germans in Belgium. A fortnight ago innocent Germans who were quietly doing their work wore haiided over to the tender mercies of, tho mob. The. citizens now : feel personally and bodily that, hunting defenceless women is a different thing from having the enemy quartered in their homes. / \ / ONLY ONE NEWSPAPER NOW PUBLISHING. v (Rec. August 24, 5.20 p.m.) , ' - Brussels, August 23. • All newspapers except the "Independence Beige" have ceased publication. The editor of the latter declares that as long as there is liberty anywhero in Belgium, the paper will continue to depict the sufferings and splendour of his country.—"Times" and Sydney "Sun" Services.