Germans Advancing

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 24 August 1914, Page 5

Germans Advancing

Through Belgium Brussels and Ghent occupied B-U-GIAX SOLDIERS DISARMED. BIG INDEMNITY DEMANDED. finiDselg, August 21. The Gurmais entered Brussela at 4 o'cloek on Thursday. The Belgian authoritica announced that firing upon the German patrols would be punished as criminal. The railway bridges in Brussels were left inUet to avoid the destruction of th© town, i The Germane threatened to lay Brussels in ruins if a shot was fired from the entrenchments. The Belgian War Office ordered tie civic guard to disarm. Many sat in the entrenchments weeping, because they were not allowed to fight. GERMANS OOVSRINaTHE GROUND. MOVEMENT IXWARD3 THE COAST. WITH BRUftSEIfI AS A BASE. flanking towards namur. Press Association, —Extraordinary. Received 23, 10 a.m. London, August 22 (3 a.m.) The Germans have occupied Ghent. Namur is partially invested. Heavy artillery fire opened at midday. London, August 22 (10 a.m.) I The Germans are outside Ostend. j BELGIANS OVERWHELMED. BY GERMANS' WEIGHT OF NUMBERS TR KIM KM DOUR LOSSES. A BATTALION ALMOST ANJJIIIIL'ATED. "Received 23, 6.5 p.m. London, August 21 (evening). Ghent telegrams describe the piteous condition of burnt and pillaged villages along the line of tlic German uuvan e. and the Had spectacles of thousands of Belgians streaming to Ghent The outer works of Antwerp were recently constructed. Tip Standard's Ghent correspondent states that German cavalry entered Brussels and hoisted their flag on tile Hotel de Ville. Deep gloom has settled over the population. The Belgian authorities warned the citizens not to moist them and to giva no excuse for vengeance. I East of fLnuvaiif the German advan'.u overwhelmed the Belgians by weight of numbers Tliey came in closa formation, l and the losses were eaormous, the Germans marching over licaps of their comrades' corpses. Near J)yle a battalion of German infantry vere almost destroyed when crossing the mined field.

JIURDKKOUS CVRXAGE. A FIERCE liA '.TLK. BELGIANS Ot.'TKL.AEED BY GEIMf.-VN KOKCE. COMPELLED TO !!ETIKK. EXBifl'Mßy CONDUCT i GERMAN'S j in jsrlssel-. Received 23, 5.5 /..m. Amsterdam. August 22 imorninii.') The battle preceding tlie • cctipation o." Brusfels started at davbre.ik on Tuesday. near 1 loetbetz. The Germans opened the a'.taek with ja largo force of cavalry, miaut.ry, artillery, and machine-guns. A lw« battle ensued over a ten-kilometre front (about sis; and a quarter miles). In tlie nortn the Germans attacked ITaelen, Loxber.;en, and Oonenaechcn_ They tried to lireak the Belgian lines near Gectbnt::. but the dismounted Belgian cavalry io.' two hours maintained a liot tire from entrenchments, annihilating the German*' advance lines. Eventually the Belgians were outflanked and slowly retired. Two Belgian squadrons of -40 uieu f jr a long tune withstood 2000 Germain, but finally were compelled to retire. The Germans stormed Diest. Many houses were destroyed. A tremendous battle developed along the line. German aeroplanes audaciously reconnoitred the Belgian positions. The carnage was simply murderous a i Aerschot. i By noon the Germans had entered Lcuvain on motor-cars mounted with machine-guns. The Belgians fell back on Malines and Antwerp. When the IThlans entered BrusseV they seized all the motor-cars for conveyance of light guns. An army corps left Brussels for tiir westward and occupied Ghent at noon without resistance. From Ghent the advance posts moved coastwise, presumably to hc'wc Zee and Ostend. The German westward movement continues on both banks of the Meuse beyond tlie. radius of the Namur forts. Burgomasters of rural communes disarmed the civil guards, in order to prcvftnl. the, tawsgiy firing on peaceful citi-

Amsterdam, August 22. A German army corps, headed by the Death s Head" Hussars, entered Brussels. Their were very exhausted, and cantered with difficulty. The troops took possession of the barrackß and the heights commanding the city, and behaved in an exemplary manner. The Treasurer of Brussels states that there is no possible chance of coercive measures giving the Germans even a fraction of the eight millions. Dutch papers state that the Germans demanded two million sterling tribute from Liege. A TRIUMPHANT EX THY. ■ GERMANS PARADE THEIR STRENGTH. AND HUMILIATE BELGIAN OFFICERS. Amsterdam, August 22. . Received 23, 5.5 p.m. After mlorming the Burgomaster that ie would be made responsible for events and acts on the part of the populace, the Germans made a triumphal entry into Brussels. The troops included Uhlans, horse and foot artillery, sappers, with siege train complete; then a hundred motor-cars, on which quick-firers were mounted. Every regiment was preceded by its band, and the soldiers* continuously singing "The Watch on the Rhine" and "Deutschland ueber Alle." They marched into the great Square, and thence into camps on the city heights. The procession occupied several hours. •Some regiments bore a fine appearance Their fresh condition points to their forming part of the vast army which lias been forming for the last fortnight behind the fighting screen. The citizens viewed the spectacle in silence, although the sight of two Belgian officer's manacled to the stirr.ip leathers of Uhlans evoked a growl of resentment. Most of the shops were closed, and many thousands watched the procession. Only some two or three thousand Germans remain in Brussels, and they are quartered in the barracks. There are over 1000 German prisoners at Ghent, Bruges, and Ostend, which are crowded with refugees. London, August 22 (evening). . The Times estimates that 35,000 to 40.000 Germans passed through Brussels, and that they must have 1.50,009 behind them. "THEATRICAL" SUCCESSES. SERIOUS BUSINESS FOR GERMAN'S IS AHEAD. Received 23, 5.5 p.m. London, August 22. Germany s demand for an additional £400,000 tribute from Liege is regarded as proof thai, the forts must have fallen. Germany's arrogant brutality and the stories of outrages and cruel ransom demanded of defenceless citizens whose nation Germany was pledged to protect, are arousing intense indignation throughout England, where there is a general denunciation of tile rapacity and barbarity of militarism. Many newspapers suggest, that Germany's successes in Belgium have been more theatrical than practical, and formed no part of the original plan. The more serious business of the campaign still lies before them. A NivW WAR MACHINE. j •BELGIAN' ARMY BEING REORGANISED. Received 23, 7 p.m. London, Aug. 22 (evening). Germain's use »,f quicklirers on motorcars is a >pecial feature of the campaign in Belgium. A la;ge llelgun army is being rcorganis*\l :« Antwerp. i: ;.>i i lON OF LI KG 10 CRITICAL. »:|.Uv!A\s iW'MB.Min UNUKSISTINC, HOUSES. liCi.ciANS DRIVEN INTO HOLLAND. I'l-i-eiwd 2-1, 12.5 a.m. London, August 22. The. Daily NVwn' . at Kot- (. rdam repor;- tha:. i.lw position of Liege is critical. Shots were !::vd at the froops from a house on Thursday, whereupon the Germans Inmharded 2H houses, killing many of the inhabitants. Similar shots at Tongres ;v.-i:lfed in the dcbtruction | of the town. The Germans drove the inhabitants into Holland. All were forced to keep their avnw uplifted on the tivo hours' march TOE FAE-S'I'RKADING <1 ICR MAN. LANCERS NORTH OF ANTWERP. u BAND'S FRONTIER GUARDED. Rcc. ive.i 24, 12.5 a.m. Amsterdam, August 22. The < leiniai! Lancers have appeared at Esscheii, north of Antwerp. The Fourth Army Corps, which is covering the German right wing, is spread out along the Dutch frontier.

PROTECTING ANTWERP. BELGIANS IN STRONG POSITION. GERMANS SUFFER HEAVILY. Received 22, 6,15 p.m. Ghent, August 21 (evening). The Belgians have taken up a position round Antwerp. i The Germans ait Aerschoit advanced in close formation as at Liege and suffered heavily. ' PREPARATIONS FOR ANTWERP'S DEFENCE, Amsterdam, August 21. "Defensive preparations are 'being made to defend Antwerp, Woods are being cut down, villages destroyed to deprivi the Germans of cover, and earthworks thrown up in all directions. Part of the country outside the fortifications has been flooded. The Dover-Ostend steamers are lying in the Scheldt in readiness to remove the Queen and her family. Antwerp, August 21. Numbers of, cattle have been driven in from the country and are herded in the parks. The Germans are now threatening Malines (Meeklin), half-way between Brussels and Antwerp. The 'Uhlans are active. Rotterdam, August 21. A heartrending feature is the suffering of the horses. The Danish Government is prohibiting the export of horses, owing to the large numbers that have been sent to Germany, London, August 21. It is officially stated that the Liege forts are still holding out. Critics point out that the Belgians in Antwerp are admirably placed to fall upon the German columns pushing westward if they suffer a check at the hands of the British and French. Antwerp has supplies for a year, and as her communications by sea are assured the city is practically irreducible. The Belgian army by menacing the German right wing will compel the Germans to maintain important forces in the neighborhood of Antwerp. The, Daily Telegraph points out that the broad plains north of the Mouse, with innumerable roads converging on Brussels, form an ideal country for the deployment of large forces. Apparently the Germans have not abandoned the attempt to turn the Allies' left wing bv an advance en masse on the left (the Belgian) hank of Mouse. A noteworthy feature is the absence of information relative to the operations in the Luxemburg district. Ghent telegrams state that King' Albert and the general staff are now at Malines and the aormv ie occupying the line Antwerp to Malines. The' Belgian army has only been reorganised a year and is without adequate cavalry to "cope with the Uhlans. The German guns outranged the Belgian ones, wjeeially the heavy Howitzers, When thelrder to retreat was issued the Belgians dynamited many houses in Lou vain to impede the enemy. Maastricht telegrams state the Liege forts still hold out. Doctors are of the opinion that the defenders by now are stone deaf.

Louviet, which is a sleepy medieval town, was defended by a small force of infantry and cavalry, who retreated when the main body of Germans arrived. The latter made the resistance a pretext for burning a number of houses. The Belgians found an excellent defensive position in high wooded country between Louvain and Brussels. The German cavalry opened out in fan shape and advanced rapidly. When they ran against the Belgian position the artillery punished the Germans severely, forcing them to dig themselves into cover. [Later, artillery reinforcements arrived, tout were unable to make an impression on the Belgians, whose front was protected by marshy ground. Finally the Germans were, compelled to retreat to the further side of Louvain. This Belgian force and the. force holding Wavre, retired late in the afternoon to prevent the possibility of their being outflanked. The Belgians are now occupying the field of Waterloo. The brunt of the German attack fell on the Belgians and left the French practically untouched, but they were compelled to alter their dispositions in order to preserve the continuity of tho allied lines. The Germans advancing on Louvain met a battalion of infantry and machine guns. The Belgians hurriedly lined tne road, entrenching themselves in uic fields on either side, and fifty Belgian lancers went, out to scout. Suddenly a large force of Uhlans swept over the Hilltop. The lancers withdrew upon the entrenched infantry, and a duel, rifle versus artillery, continued for an hour. The Press Bureau states that Germany has imposed on Brussels a war contribution of eight millions sterling.