ANTWERP.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 78, 21 August 1914, Page 5

ANTWERP.

WHAT ITS CAPTURE WoUU) MEAN TO GERMANY. Antwerp is an immensely strong fortress. By some authorities it is bo- s lieved to be the strongest fortress in. the whole of Europe. Aft is in the flat coastal low lands, about 40 miles up the river Scheldt. As in the -case o£ most cities. on, the Dutch and Flemish coast, the land around Antwerp has partly been reclaimed from tidal flats; and ?ome of the surrounding district " can now be placed under water if desired. The reason why Antwerp has been turned by the Belgians into a fortress \of such strength is that the Government has always intended that this fortress should be the rendezvous of the Belgian army in the event of it being compelled by some violation of the neutrality of Belgium, to retire before an enemy of superior force. That is exactly the role which Antwerp would now have to play if the Allies -were beaten. iWhat Antwerp means to -Germany . could scarcely be better put than it was by Bishop Long, of Bathurst, in the bourse of an analysis which lie mad<\ last week of the position (says the Sydney Morning Herald). He was explaining how everything in the earlier stages depended on whether the Teuton war lord could deal such a sledge-ham-mer blow upon the French witjjiin the next week as would send their array reeling hack to Paris. _ "If the Germans succeed in doing this," he said, "they - will be able to entrench m Belgium, and it would seem that nothing could save Brussels and Antwerp from at least temporary German occupation. Antwerp is a prize that the Germans would give 'billions of money, and probably millions of men, to gain and regain. • Antwerp is destined to become the gifeatest port in the world, and with it safe in their grasp the Germans would become a great naval and mercantile nation; and it is difficult to predict what would be Britain's position. Some such result as this might'followa big German victory next week. Wc should prepare ourselves for shocks and alarms. It ia not to be expected that this big German war engine is going to breakdown without doing some enormous damage first. I "have no doubt about the utlimatc result, but it is reasonable to expect some great achievement on the part of the enemy." /