BELGIUM

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 80, 25 August 1914, Page 5

BELGIUM

IN THE Giil!' OF THE GERMANS. A TliYINc SITUATION. VENGEANCE WREAKED ON LIEGE London, August 23. The Daily Chronicle's correspondent at Amsterdam says the situation of the citizens of Liege ia very unfavorable, A shot, vraa fibred from a house on Friday and the Germans immediately opened fire with machine guna, destroying twenty houses and killing the inmates. They also burnt ten other houses. All the money in the private banks has been confiscated. Paris, August 23. The Liege tribute demanded by the Germans comprise two millions from the province and the remainder from the city. A COURTEOUS COMMANDER. BACKED UP BY ARMS. Received 24, 9.45 p.m. Ostend, August 24. The German commander placarded Brussels that he is forced by circumstances to make levies. He requests the population to acquiesce, and not to adopt an aggressive attitude, otherwise he will inflict severe measures. The Germans every evening seize the day's receipts of the Brussels tramways. AT ANTWERP. STRENGTHENING THE DEFENCES. 01TY SWARMING WITH REFUGEES. Antwerp, August 23. The people of Antwerp are cutting down plantations and destroying villus and cottages, in order not to afford the Germans any cover. Earthworks have been thrown up and field and heavy artillery placed in the new defence works, in order to reinforce tht. forts. The sale of alcohol is forbidden, eicept by chemists. A body of Uhlans reached the outskirts of Malines (Mccklin), but were drawn off. Belgian machine guns and armored motor-ears hotly pursued tber.». From Antwerp trains are running to Ghent and the Dutch frontier. It is not expected that the Germans will occupy Ostend in any force. There are seven thousand refugees from Ostend. There were pitiful scenes in the streets. Tb.' majority of the people are destitute, and the barracks and public buildings have been converted into sleeping quarters. ; • :7; HELP FOR BELGIUM. NOBLE RESPONSE IN* ENGLAND FRENCH AND ENGLISH CONTRIBUTE LARGELY. London, -August 23. Many large British subscriptions arc being given direct to the Belgian relief fund. Paris, August 23. The Temps says that the English loan to "Belgium is a noble response to Germany's brutal levy. One more bond thus united the Allies. Brituin and Prance have decided to advance 250 millions of francs each to Belgium to meet the expenses that have occurred during the war.

A MOTOR-OAR HERO. 'MAKES BELGIAN ni.OOO COURSE FASTER. A MUNCHAUSEN-UK E STORY. Antwerp, August 23. Lieut. Hcnkart has become famous for heroic exploits., daily reconnoitring in an armored motor-car devised by him--self. Accompanied by three others lie obtained valuable information of the ••nemy'ri positions and showed the great possibilities of the motor-ear Incidentally he killed a large number of Uhlans and extracted himself from several traps. He held his own at Vesterloo against two companies of cyclints and a squadron of cavalry totallin™ 450. He killed twenty-five and wounded many. MOST NEWSPAPERS CEASE PUBLICATION. Times-S\<lncy Sun Special C aW-. Received it. 5.20 p.m. Brussels. 2;;. All the. newspapers, with the exemption of the Independence I'el»c. have ceased publication. The editm oi tiiv latter declarer that, as lony as there is liberty anywhere in Belgium the paper will continue to depict the snilcnntis mil the ,-plendour of his country. GERMAN' CRUELTIES. P. E PORTS OF ATROCITIES U)XK11! MED. Times-Sydney Sun Special I'jblc-. licccivcd 24, Ci.2o )'."i. London. August 24. The Belgian correspondent "t 'Hi: Times substantiated many a«-ts oi 1 >t cruelty by German sol'liei, oil '! '- fenceless men, women and •■liiMivn. KEIXiII'M'S FIXE FORTRESSES. URGE ANH NAMUR RESIST ATTACK Received 24. B.W p.m. Osteml, August 23. ' The Minister for Justice, states that the forts at Liege and Xamiir still hold

GERMAN TROOPS IN BELGIUM. HIGH LIFE AT BRUSSELS. "HER liEAUTY AND HER CHIVALRY." TREMENDOUS FORCES MARCH TO POSITIONS. Received 24, 8.10 p.m. Ostend, August 24 (morning). It is estimated that 200,000 Germans passed through Brussels up to Friday night, and 75,000 more went in the direej tion of Antwerp, and 10,000 remain at I Uiussels under Count von Armin. | The equipment of the whole German ' army is perfect in every detail, j The General Staff at Brussels is requisitioning food and other supplies, but the private soldiers are paying for everything they obtain. The officers do not pay in cash, but give cheques. Thero arc lively scenes in the principal hotels. The German officers drink champagne freely, and dance with girls. Generally they converse freely with the inhabitants. THE ASAULT ON LIEGE, [ TWO FORTS HOLD OUT. THEIR DEFEAT A MATTER OF TIME. GERMANS TELL OF HEAVY LOSSES. Received 24, 11.25 p.flm. Amsterdam, August 24. A correspondent of tile Gazette de Hollande visited Liege. He savs the streets were full of commandeered moto cars flying at breakneck speed to all parts of the city carrying soldiers with iwded rifles. Two forts still hold out, but German siege guns have been mounted l on the other forts, which are bombarding thesp two, the latter being unable to answer the fire because damage would be done to the city. The Germans admit that of the three thousand men of the 53rd infantry regiment onlv five hundred were alive after the attack on the Liege forts.