BELGIUM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 76, 19 August 1914, Page 5

BELGIUM

CHANGE OP TACTICS. Germans a;t!\";; on the DEFENSIVE, ENTREXCIIJXG EVERYIIERE. Received 11), 10.20 a.m. Brussels, August IS. It was officially reported at nine tonight that no lighting occurred on Monday. The Germans are taking up a defensive attitude, and are entrenching everywhere. THE FLOWER OF GERMANY. TO FIGHT IX BELGIUM. Received 18, 10.5 p.m. Paris, August 18. It is reported that the Germans are despatching the Guards and other picked troops to tile right flank. HEAVY ARTILLERY DUEL. Received IS, 10.5 p-m. Brussels, August 18. A feature of the engagement at Dinant was the pro onged artillery duel. i Probably not more than SOOO troops v/ere engaged all the afternoon. Heavy guns, field guns and mitrailleuses main- ' tained a tremendous and incessant din. BETWEEN TWO FIRES. GERMAN'S LOSE HEAVILY. Brussels, August IS. Fighting is reported from Gembloui. A German force was caught between a French cavalry column and a Belgian force marching from Namur. The German loss is believed to be heavy. GERMAN METHODS OBSOLETE. OFFICERS LIVE IN LUXURY. Times and Sydney Sun Services. Brussels, August 17. I In the battle of Haelen, Germans under fire used the goose step and mass [formation and cast-iron tactics, which [greatly increased the'casualties. Bridges i over rivers were crossed by Germans in [masses and were piled with dead. i Priests during the battle heroically accompanied the Belgians to the firing line and calmly heard confessions and granted absolution to the dying under a hail of bullets and bursting shrapnel. i While those Germans attacking Liege are suffering great hardships, those occupying the city arc living like fighting cocks at the expense of the Belgian populace, the officers occupying the best rooms at fashionable hotels, demanding the oldest wines, and offering 1.0.U.'s I in payment. The theatre has been transformed into stables. Quickfirers j are mounted on lialconies commanding strategic streets. The Germans possess j hundreds of motor-cars. Residents are I allowed only candles, which they must extinguish at nine, when windows must be closed and doors opened. Last night a German aeroplane dropped bombs iDto Louvain (15 miles from Brussels). London, August 17. .The Belgians and French are exchanging officers. The transfer* are calculated mutually to stimulate energies. "THE SILENT SERVICE." XO FORMIDABLE EXPERIENCES WITH OUR NAVY. OVERDRAWN' BELGIAN' PICTURES. London, August 18. The stories of German cruelties, cowardice and wholesale voluntary surrenders which originated in Brussels are described as absurd by unbiassed observers, who declare that the German cavalry advance showed almost foolhardy bravey, their absolute recklessness indicating that they thought themselves invincible. The fact that Zeppelins played little part in the operations against Liege leads to the surmise that the main Ueet is being withheld for future and more critical operations. Airships are now colored grey, rendering them less visible. The Globe's naval correspondent, writing from an unnamed naval port, says: "I have been with the silent service. The navy lias had no formidable experiences, but the. swift coming and going of ships and the readiness of men and material is great to sec. I am not surprised to read the Admiralty's announcement that our trade routes are

Jppen but for mines. In tin- North Sea trawlers are busy clearing tlic seawav and proceeding well. Tlie German'nav'v is bottled up in tlie ports." A train, driven by an Alsatian, which" was transporting seven hundred Uhlans to the frontier, instead of stopping where it should have detrained the Germans, ran across thj frontier and drew up at a station occupied by French troops. The whole of tlie Uhlans wcie captured. ADVANCE WARDS IX CONTACT. deceived 18, 5.10 p.m. Brussels, August 17. Advance guards came into contact at several points on Sunday liear YV'avrc. also at Geoslou and Grand Lccz. In all cases the German advance was checked. (Wavre in about 'ls miles south-east of Brussels. Hero, on dune IS. 1815. the Prussians prevented Grouchy joining Napoleon at Waterloo). TO DEFEND BRUSSELS. BARRICADES IN THE STREETS. •Received IS, S p.m. Brussels, August IS. The seal, of Govermnent has been moved to Antwerp. Important measures have been taken to safeguard Brussels against, .surprise by German cavalry, including barricade-, manned by twenty thousand'civic guard*. FRENCH RACONTEUR AT MIS REST. ', Received IS. .110 p.m. ~ Brussels. August 17. ] The French win? at Dinant was outnumbered by the Germans fourfold, being badly cut up. and thev almost bro';- _ formation. Suddenly the Mavseillnisi ■was started. The French rallied, hurl |cd themselves on the enemv with won s derful gallantry and enthusiasm, an, routed them. "' GERMAN REINFORCEMENTS \KIIIV T-XG DAILY. ,11 ~f Received 18. 5.10 p.m. i Amsterdam. August 17. Aix-la-Chapelle- is crammed wit troops, aud reinforcements are arrivin

daily, including reinforcements from the Russian frontier, whom the reserves are replacing. A Uhlan patrol which entered the Belgian village of Hechtel, near Ghee), demanded money, and were fired on by the villagers, who refused to surrender. The. offending village was burned. REMOVAL OF THE CAPITAL. ROYAL FAMILY AND EMBASSIES LEAVE BRUSSELS. "NO CAUSE FOR ANXIETY." Received 18, 11.55 p.m. Brussels, August 18 (morning). The Queen, the young princes, and the representatives of i'ranee, Russia and Great Britain are going to Antwerp, also several of the Government departments, though the families of the Ministers remain at Brussels in order to prove that there is no cause for anxiety. The Government insists that the move to Antwerp does not signify that the position is worse. ! STILL ANOTHER REVERSE. THE FIGHTING AT WAVRE. CIVIL GUARDS IN ACTION. Received 18, 11.55 p..m Brussels, August IS. The Germans attempted a dasli through the defences of Wavre, but were repulsed with heavy loss by the Belgian cavalry and twenty thousand civil guards. A TOWN BURNED. London. August 17. The Chronicle's Amsterdam correspondent says the Germans on Saturdnv burnt the town of Vise and sent the Men prisoner.; Aix-l.i-Chaptilc and the women and children to Maastricli;. \