BELGIUM A SKELETON COUNTRY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2283, 17 October 1914, Page 7

BELGIUM A SKELETON COUNTRY

EMPTY AND IN RUINS NAVAL BRIGADE'S MARCH FROM ANTWERP London, October 15. A correspondent who escaped from Antwerp says that the defences, especially the arrangement of the outer forts, had not been planned to cope, with ciich artillery as the Germans used, but were defended with conspicuous gallantry. With anything like an approximate equivalent in. artillery, the Nethe ,mjght.have;been held indefinitely. Neither the Belgians nor the British, he have any feeling but that of pride in the courage vith .which they clung to a desperate, forlorn hope. Botn failed only because'the task was one beyond human capacity. Both.deserve nothing but-honour and admiration. Another correspondent states that ( the Germane entered Ghent unopposed, the Allies rotiring in order to prevent the bombardment of the city. Ho adds that Belgium is becoming a skeleton country. The land is empty, and the towns, villages, and fields in ruins.—"Times" and Sydney "Sun" gervices. . • ■ ■ i_ ■ ■ POPULACE FLEES TO BRITAIN. ' London, October 15. - A further eight thousand Ostend refugees have landed at Folkestone. Many are starving and half-clad. Thirty thousand were camped out in the Ostond docks on Tuesday night, and eight thousand at the Central Railway Station, including a thousand wounded 6oldiers. There were frantic rushes on Wednesday for the boats going to England. Pitiful scenes were witnessed as the last boat left, fifteen thousand remaining on the pier. ' ' One hundred and fifty fishermen's wives and children crossed to England in open boats and fishing smacks. ' (Rec. October 16, 11.5 p.m.) Amsterdam, October 15. Belgian refugees in Rotterdam have elected a committee to proceed to Antwerp to consider the possibility of repatriation. [ ' NAVAL BRIGADE'S EXPERIENCE. Ostend, October 16. Dutch papers state that the British Naval men interned in Holland say :— "We were in hell in Antwerp. No courage, bravery, or 6elf-sacrifice could withstand the German heavy artillery. They hit the armoured towers of the forts several times, causing explosions in the great ammunition magazine. One fort and three armoured trains were destroyed, also the barracks, though they were extraordinarily strong. Lierre was so severely, damaged that it surrendered after the German fire ceased." \ ; TREACHEROUS GUIDE. ' ' London, October 15. While the Naval Brigade was marching from Antwerp an officer discovered that the scout was leading them into German positions. The scout was shot dead. , . ■ . FIFTY THOUSAND GERMANS IN GHENT. Ostend, October 15. There are fifty thousand Germane in Ghent. They are friendly towards the population, and are buying supplies. " Heavy guns are passing towards Biugea. HOW THE BRITISH WERE OUT OFF. ! (Rec. October 17, 0.30 a.m.) Amsterdam, Ootober 16. When the retreat from Antwerp was ordered, the First Naval Brigade acted as the rearguard. The Germans hotly pursued them, but the brigade held them baok. After twenty hours' march the brigade.found that their retreat was cut off. The railway front was then blown up, and, though staggering with exhaustion, the brigade would have out its way to Ghent. This, however, meant annihilation, and the men, obeyed orders and crossed the border.