FALL OF ANTWERP

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 118, 12 October 1914, Page 5

FALL OF ANTWERP

PORTS REDUCED TO POWDER. MARVELLOUSLY EFFICIENT ARTILLERY. GERMAN'S SUPPLIED WITH EXACT RANGE. THE WATER SUPPLY CUT OFF. (A PAXIC-STRICKEX* POPULACE. Received 11, 3.10 p.m. London, October 10. A Marconi wireless from the Berlin headquarters states that Antwerp has

[been in possession of the Germans einco Friday. The Belgian garrison left tho neighborhood of the forts, only a few of which remained in possession of the Belgians. The Chronicle publishes an unconfirmed report that the Germans have entered I Antwerp. This message added that the inhabitants were calm. THE CAPITULATION' NOT A SURPRISE. PEOPLE HAD BEEN PREPARED. WATER SUPPLY DESTROYED BY ' THE ENEMY. ' i Received 11, 10.30 a.m. ' Ostenci, October 10. It transpires that the Burgomaster of Antwerp issued a proclamation a week' a go> quoting the Kaiaer's assurances o f . non-interference with the civil popula- * tion. lie warned tno citizens against in- ' terfercnce with foreign soldiers entering ° the town. The city, therefore, regarde.l surrender as a natural sequence, and the

only sane policy of saving the city. During the bombardment the-destruc-tion of the waterworks by the Germans deprived the city of water and prevented the brigade extinguishing the fires. All the chief art treasures were removed. The suburbs of Borgehout, Zurimburg and Berchem were almost entirely burnt out. It is rumored that the Queen has sailed for England. THE TERRIBLE SIEGE GUNS. BELGIAN KING WITH HIS ARMY. GERMANS SHOT BY HUNDREDS. Received 11, 3.30 p.m. London, October 10. A correspondent describes the firing of a 42-centimetre gnn of the enemy. lie saya that ten minutes elapses between the shots. "There is a flame like a blasting furnace, a small sloud of smoke, a thunderous though bearable roar, then a hiss. Tho Germans never fired wildly. Spies had worked the ranges or vulnerable points out to a yard. King Albert, through a neutral attache, sent the, German commander a plan showing tha siteß of tho Cathedral and other ancient monuments, which he begged might be spared. Many shells Lad already fallen near the cathedral. The King is in the field with his army. The Germain are using 200 guns, of •2S, 30, and 42 centimetres. The British, French, and Russian Ministers were the last to leave the city. They witnessed tho first part of the bombardment. They state that from midnight there was a rain of projectiles, sometimes 20 per minute. They state jthat more than half the shells failed to explode. Many civilians were killed. The weather being calm prevented the spread of the flames. The Germans, in their advance to the inner forts, literally filled the dykes with their dead, owing to the close formation. The Belgian machine-guns went through them like a scythe. Hordes of refugees have reached Flushing. All sorts of rivercraft, loaded to the gunwales with human freight, are crossing the Scheldt. The panic is pitiful. Twenty-five thousand fled to Holland. Tho Dutch are nobly feeding the homeless, including 300 orphans.

AS ASSAULT REPULSED. TERRIFIC LOSSIiS OF TIIE ATTACKERS. ' i Ecocivoil U, 2.4.! i p.m.

London, October 10. Mr Donohue reports that crowds of wounded arc pouring into Ostend. The

Belgian medical arrangements appear to have broken down. Many of the victims liad been without food or water for long hour;. At Ostend food is lacking. The wounded slate that the German shell fire in a particular section or the fortified enceinte at Antwerp lias been terribly severe. One section having reduced two forts to powder, the enemy flung fi heavy assaulting column against tile blench, but the entrenched

Belgians met it with a terrific machinegun fire. The two columns wavered, and despite a libera! display of personal violence by the officers, broke and fled in disorder, in which their losses were accentuated fourfold. (After regaining shelter. their artillery fired on the trenehe*. Antwerp U still holding out bravely. The Germans are in Force round Lokeren, Zele, and Dierderich. The American Consul at Antwerp states that he remained in tho city on the first niglil. m' the bombardment. TT.was aroused :it. 11 o'clock at night by frightful noises in the air. itli his family he ciou. hed in the cellar all night. Every few minutes a dreadful whistling sound wr<« followed by a. thunderclap, and the collapse of some buildings. He saw the whole front ft! a building torn out hy a shell. The streets were crowded with all descriptions of vehicles, re-

| moving fugitives, who, -after escaping from the town, found the bridge across the Scheldt destroyed, bottling up the remainder of the inhabitants. It took him 13 hours to reach Ghent, owing to the road -being packed with fugitives. Amsterdam, October 10. Fugitives state that the Germans held nine forts near Lierre on Friday. Shells fell in the prison, and the warders liberated the prisoners. Messages from Roosendaal on Friday evening stated that the situation was most critical. Amsterdam, October 9. Half-a-million refugees are now in Holland. • CONTINUED SCENES OF HORROR. WHOLE STREETS REDUCED TO RUINS. ANTWERP'S GOVERNOR A NOTABLE FIGURE. Received 11, 4.55 p.m. Ghent, October 10. i •During Thursday, shells constantly fell in Antwerp, including the Place Verte. Many places caught fire, and who'e streets were reduced to ruins owing to the incendiary shells. A Zeppelin dropped bombs, the Law Courts being hit. The diversion enables the Germans to bring up fresh gunsi. Tho populat'on is terrified by the continued scenes of horror, and the darkness is only relieved by the burning buildings and exploding [ shells. The Belgian army made a gallant sortie from the left bank of the Scheldt, General de Guise, military governor of Antwerp, was a pupil of General Bri.ilmont (the well-known Belgian genual and writer on fortifications), lie is the youngest and most brilliant Belgian general. He assisted in organising tile , defence of Adrianople when the Balkan ; war broke out . *

GERMANS CUTTING BELGIAN COMMUNICATIONS. Received 11, 4.55 p.m. Ostend, October 10. The Germans have blown up all bridges from Ghent to Ingelmunster, and destroyed the station at Vivesteloi. THE FORTUNES OF WAR. BELGIANS REDUCED TO FAMINE. Received 11, 10.30 a.m. Ostend, Ooctober 9. Tho Belgian Government is making a vehement protest against the Germans monopolising the foodstuffs in Brussels and environs, reducing the native population to famine. ZEPPELINS DIRECT ARTILLERY EIRE. END SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED. TWENTY HOURS OF TERROR. AN INDESCRIBABLE PANIC. Received 11, 11.35 p.m. Amsterdam, October 10.

A Belgian staff officer states that the Waver and St. Catherine forts offered the most stubborn resistance. A Zeppelin gave the range and dropped bombs. The commander of the fort pretended that the fort was afire, whereupon the Zeppelin signalled for the infantry to advance. When they reached the glacis, the Belgian guns and (juickfirers mowed down eight thousand. When the position became untenable, owing to the 180-pound shells, the commander blew up the fort. Refugees state that the end came with unexpected suddenness. Antwerp surrendered at nine o'clock on Friday, after 40 hours' bombardment. The Hotel dc Ville (town hall), the Palace of Justice, and the Art Gallery suffered from shell fire. The Jslantin Moretus museum was considerably damaged. The terror of the last 20 hours baffles description. The inhabitants who had not lied took refuge in cellars. Many were struck as they were seeking shelter. Shops had been closed since Thursday, and the valuables from jewellers' shops had been removed to safety, owing to the recollection of the German looting at Louvain.

The sight of the wounded Belgian soldiers traversing the city from the fortifications added .to the terror of the population. Boats for Ostend were dangerously crowded, and the trains for Holland packed with wailing women and ctiildren, crying with hunger. At every stopping-place more tried to enter. They had been waiting unfed for hours. Men

sank to the floor in the. corridors in hysterical condition. The majority of the women had 0110 desire —to get beyond ear-shot of the German guns.

A horrible incident occurred when a

chance German sliell struck a train of fugitives leaving for Esschcn. Several were killed, and an indescribable panic followed. Tlio plight of the other fugitives is so desperate that the DutA Government has issued a warning to the public not to treat the fugitives harshly if they behaved strangely, as many were partially demented owing to the strain

BRITISH TROOPS IX THIS GARRISON. 2000 CUT OFF AND REACH HOLLAND.

BELGIAN ARMY'S Sl/COE'SSFUL RETREAT. Received 11, 11.20 p.m. London, October 11. Official.—(A British naval brigade, with heavy guns, participated in the defence of Antwerp, with 8000 marines and bluejackets. The two brigades safely retreated to Ostend, with all guns. The Germans cut off 2000 of the first

brigade, uiro were forced into Dutch territory, <md surrendered* The retreat of the Belgian army was successful. ! lluvv THE END CAME, FINE GENEROSITY OF THE DUTCH. Received Midnight. Amsterdam, October 10. While the main force was attacking the forlilica Lions in the neighborhood of Lierre on Thursday, a heavy bombardment was proceeding on the inner fort line from the direction of Boon.

As the light progressed, large infantry bodies were flung against the redoubts of the inner circle, while other troops were feigning attacks in the direction of Termonde, Duffel, and elsewhere for the purpose of diverting attention from Licrrc.

Tlio south-eastern and eastern forts, including Lierre, ceased firing on Friday morning, enabling the Germans to force their way into Antwerp, where the B;l- - up the fortifications. The civic guard was disbanded, and the majority immediately volunteered for the regular army.

p The Dutch are behaving with fine generosity. Rottredam, Maastricht, Tilburg, Middleburg, Amsterdam and Dordrecht are all taking large contingents. At Essichon a thousand fugitives are camping near the railway lines, stretching a rough covering from the telegraph poles as a protection from the weather, and living in the railway coaches. Ghent, October 11. The sea is still free of Germans. Many refugees preferred to go to Bruges, Ghent and Osteoid, the coast towns. Endless .processions were on tho roads throughout Thursday and Friday night, and they soon exhausted the ood at the wayside inns and "farms. The scenes were unprecedented since tlu Spaniards sacked Antwerp in 1586.

BELGIANS FIGHT REARGUARD ACTION. FIERCE BAYONET ENCOUNTERS. Received 12, 12.15 a.m. Amsterdam, October 10. Some refugees state that teliy saw the King of the Belgians with his aoi in a sling. A Belgian ofiicer states that the garrison, when withdrawing across the Scheldt, fought a desperate rearguard action. The fighting is continuing fiercely to the westward. The surrender of the city was orderly, the authorities hoisting white flags on the church towers and public buildings. All the grain-laden boats in the harbor had been previously sunk. A fierce bayonet fight preceded the enemy's entry into Berchen. Rfugees from Antwerp opened hoes in the walU to enable them to retreat, in case of emergency, from house to house along the whole street.

People at every big Dutch station met the ineoming trains and offered the fugitives bread, biscuits, tea and milk. - 1 3"\ . •U\fc !- T X BEFORE THE FALL. GERMANS CROSS THE SCHELDT. BELGIAN GUNS OUT-RANGED. lA HOSPITAL-CONVENT SHELLED. ANTWERP ATTACKED FROM ALOFT. OUTER RING OF FORTS TAKEN. Ostend, October D. The bombardment of Antwerp is terrible. Incendiary shells have been fired into the city between South Antwerp and the law courts. The Germans, under cover of a fog, crossed the Scheldt between Sclioonaerdc and Edcghem.

After their previous repulses they changed their tactics and brought up an army corps from Alost and during tne night threw a pontoon bridge over the river at a point where there were few Belgian- defenders. Simultaneously t'hey began an action along the whole river front from Termonde to Uytbergen. The German guns outranged those of the Belgians, who retired. Belgian reinforcements later began a hot tattle with a heavy exchange of shrapnel on both sides. The Belgians swept away many bodies of infantry on the pontoons, but considerable numbers crossed, and occupied Borlaere. The Belgians fiercely contested the passage and their artillery destroyed two guns midway over the bridge. One battery crossed under the concentrated fire of the Belgians. The battle continues. Severe fighting is proceeding outside Antwerp. Borgerliout is burning. Jt is reported that the Germans have been compelled to retreat a short distance to Lierre. The Ursuline Convent at Londerzell, jiear Malines, whore 5G nuns weie nursing hundreds of wounded, was shelled and destroyed. A shell burst into a ward, killing seven men. The less seriously wounded iled and the others took refuge in the cellars. -Suddenly the building burst into (lames. Belgian soldiers dashed in and rescued the occa-

pants. The authorities of the Zoological Gardens at .Antwerp have shot the dangeious carniverous animals, lest the bombardment should break the cages and relcaso the animals. Six Zeppelins on Wednesday night dropped bombs on Antwerp. The I'alais de Justice was partly destroyed. The principal attack is from the southeast. Numbers of the wounded are ar-

riving at Ostcnd. Amsterdam, October 0. An official German communique states that the Germans have seized Fort Broocken, eastward of Antwerp, and are now approaching the inner fort belt. The Belgians between the outer and inner forts were driven back on Ant-

werp. The Germans captured m tnc open field four heavy batteries, 02 field guns, and many machine guns. [The outer ring of forts is_ 10 or 12 miles from the town and the inner ring 3 or 4 miles.] King Albert left Antwerp yesterday and arrived at Sclzaete, near Ghent. Read what Mr. A. G. TarkcT, the Government pure food and drug analyst,

reports—that Dingo Eucalyptus Extract i is the best he htw ever examined.— Advt. ;