BELGIUM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 73, 15 August 1914, Page 5

BELGIUM

THE POSITION IK BELGIUM. ALLIES CAN BE WELL SATISFIED. FAILURE OF GERMAN INVASION. INAUSPICIOUS OPENING OF GERMAN CAMPAIGN. Received 14, 11.5 p.m. London, August 14. Tho Times' military correspondent says: "We can be well satisfied with the events of the past twelve days. Tins period was needed for the mobilisation of the French armies. Its close finds scarcely a Gcnnan soldier in France. The only "attaque drusquce" which the Germans delivered totally failed, and there has been nothing to show that the morale and fighting aptitude of the allies is not equal to, if not better than, those of the enemy. We have now passed through a very critical phase, during which the forces of the aggressive Power ■which prspared its stroke in advance is offered many chances of easy sun .■; .. hut neither the political, military, nor naval opening of the campaign has been creditable to German}." Received 15, 12.40 a.m. Amsterdam, August 14 (morning). A brother of M. Brelow, ex-Chancellor, was killed at Liege. HEAVY FIGHTING. FIRST ENGAGEMENT IN OPEN COUNTRY. Brussels, August 13. Details of yesterday's battle show that five thousand Germans were engaged with Belgian lancers, carabineers, and artillery. The fighting lasted throughout the day, the battle centre being at Haelen. . The Belgian sappers blew up two bridges over the Demer. By evening the ground between Diest and Haelen was cleared of Germans and covered with dead and wjunded. Two hundred dead Germans were found Nrithin a space of fifty yards. The Belgian cavalry pursued the German mitrailleuses and inflicted considerable losses, retiring in perfect steadiness when the Germans were reinforced. Ten thousand were engaged in this .skirmish, which is the first action between Belgians and Germans in the open country.. Their conduct was good augury for tho future. There are indications that the German advance on the Belgian centre has been abandoned. It is officially announced that the Gcimans were repulsed at Eghezee, near Noville, with heavy losses. A number of machine guns mounted on motor cars were captured. Two Uhlans, who were killed at Haslet, were being buried when a Red Cross official discovered ten thousand marks in gold upon one and five thousand on the other. It is supposed that tlhey were attached to the commissariat. The Germans round Liege are piling the dead in heaps, and. after a short funeral service, are cremating them.

• THE SIEGE OF LIEGE. BIG GUNS IN ACTION. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Received 14, 5.15 p. m . London, August 14. The Press Bureau statc3 that the bulk of the 26 German army corps have been definitely located. It is evident that the majority of the Germans are concentrated between Liege and Luxemburg, leaving the eastern frontier lightly guarded. The heavy siege guns at Liege are chiefly six-inch howitzers and four-inch mortars, shaking the houses at Maastricht, twenty miles distant. HOOD GUNNERY PRACTICE. BESIEGERS' BIG GNUS PUT OUT OF ACTION. - Received 14, 8.25 p.m. Brußselß, August 13 (midnight). The deadly accuracy of the fire of the Liege forts succesively destroyed all the heavy German siege artillery.' The forts are still intact.