"Visions of Hell"

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 119, 13 October 1914, Page 5

"Visions of Hell"

) GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION OF ANTWERP SIEGE. \ SCENE OF APPALLING GRANDEUR BELGIANS FIGHT TO THE LAST. TERRORISED AND HUNGERSTRICKEN POPULATION. PITIABLE SCENES BY THE ROADSIDES. ANTWERP FINED £20,000,000. Received 12, 10.15 p.m. London, October 12. A report from Flushing states that the Germans have fined Antwerp 20 millions sterling. London, October 11. British correspondents who were at Antwerp, and who have reached Flushing and Amsterdam, narrate that-Ant-werp was afire in eight places on Wednesday night, and it was impossible to put out the fires, as the Germans had destroyed the water supply on Tuesday near Fort Waelhem, and the shell fire prevented all efforts to repair the waterworks. The German guns were so cleverly concealed that the Belgians were unable to locate them, and their artillery fire was quite ineffective while the Germans were advancing their big guns. South-east of Antwerp th« Germans in unsuspected force attacked tbc line of the Scheldt from Grimberghen to WTetteren, with the object of attacking Antwerp from the west. Thirty thousand were engaged in this movement, and they forced the passage of the Scheldt near Schoonaerde ,by means of pontoon bridges. The Belgians had been in the trenches for four days, and the men were worn out and incapable of withstanding the attacks of these large bodies of men; but they pluckily held their ground for some time. Finally the Germans advanced to Lotaeren.

Meanwhile the panorama of the city from the tower of the cathedral resembled Gustave Dore'a "Vision of Hell." The southern portion of the city was a desolato ruin. Whole streets were ablaze. The thick, black smoke from blazing oil tanks, accompanied by occasional great tongues of fin-, made a scene of appalling grandeur. Four miles from the city was the line of the enemy's guns. Throughout Wednesday and Thursday morning, the civilians of Antwerp endeavored to escape over a pontoon bridge leading to St. Nicholas, hoping to reach Ghent. The greater part of the second line of iforts fell at midday on Thursday. The authorities then claimed the pontoon fox military purposes, and used it to transport the garrison until all were south of the Scheldt, when it was blown up. I The last Belgians left early on Friday. They maintained a heavy gunfire to the last moment, in order to gain time for an orderly retreat. They then blew up the remaining forts, and withdrew. The Germans entered by the Malines gate at noon. When they entered Antwerp they told a few citizens remaining that the refugees must return within two days or their homes would be used for troops and their furniture taken from them. Received 12, 11.10 p.m. There was heavy fighting on Friday afternoon between the retreating garrison and the Germans across the Scheldt advancing upon the western side of Antwerp. Two hundred German Uhlans cornered a Belgian patrql at Nazareth on Wednesday. After the fight 21 Belgians were missing. Five were discovered wounded and hidden in a ditch, and 16 dead in the open, of whom 10 had their heads smashed in with the butt-ends of the Germans' rifles.

Panio among the population commenced during the bombardment on Wednesday night. Fifteen thousand failed to secure passages by the Ostend steamers. In the desperate struggle to get aboard the dozen tugboats going to Dutch ports several fell into the river, and some were drowned. It is estimated that 300,000 fled. A correspondent seeking refuge from the shells in the cellar of an Antwerp hotel encountered the Australians Louis Mack, representative of the London Evening News, and Frank Fox, representative of the Morning Post. There are extraordinary scones at Flushing. Refugees are camped in the streets, in sheds, and in the barracks. When a box of bread was carried into the field, the refugees made a wild rush, men and women fighting for a portion. It was some time before they could be persuaded to await further supplies. The majority of the refugees went to Essechen and Rosen daal, where the roads bear a ceaseless pilgrimage of •women, children, and aged men seeking sanctuary in Holland. Hero and there is to be seen a luxuriout motor-car, bearing a lady heavily wrapped up in rich furs. Hut others are wheeling barrows with their few belongings. Seventy per cent, are destitute. Numbers of children were born on"" the roadsides during the flight. Elsewhere aged women, terrorised and hungerstricken, died on the pathways.

The Dutch sent motor-cars to scour the country in search of aged ami slcjt stragglers. In some cases small babies became separated from their mothers. In hundreds of cases small children had arrived in Holland without their parents. The Dutch families have a'ready arranged to adopt them if the parents cannot be traced.

In one case a woman, whose husband was killed by a German shell during the flight, lost her two children in the turmoil, and only the baby remains. While thousands were traversing Rsschen, a rumor that the Germans were coming caused a panic, and the stampede was only quelled when the parish priest, having ascended the church tower and scanned the countryside, assured the refugees that the rumor was untrue. THE RETREAT TO OSTEND. MOTOR-'BUSES AND DOG TRAINS ASSIST. Received 13, 12.5 a.m. Ostend, October 12. With a view of reaching Ostend in forced marches, six hundred motor-cars were used to convey various contingents of the retreating garrison through Salzaede. The soldiers were relieved of their knapsacks, which were placed in vans, while London motor-'buses carried the footsore troops who had fallen in the rear. Then came dogß, drawing columns of machine-guns, and next the artillery, and after that the rearguard. The procession continued for two days. WHY BRITISH CROSSED DUTCH FRONTIER. DRIVEN BY GERMAN BIG GUNS. Received it. 1.20 a.m. Ostend, October 12. The first party of marines and bluejackets on Sunday, 4th inst., hurried to Antwerp.

During Monday and Tuesday a large proportion of the Belgians marched to the westward, for the purpose of ensuring the line of retreat. A large additional force of marines arrived at Antwerp on Tuesday morning. An Amsterdam telegram states that the Germans attacked the rearguard of the retreating garrison near St. Nicholas, using their heavy field artillery from a great distance. The Belgian and British troops crossed the frontier at different places, mostly at Putten and Sasvangent. (All were taken by boat to Flushing, and thence to the concentration camp at Gastcrland.

A FRENCH VIEW. ADMIRATION OF THE BELGIANS. Received 13, 12.15 a.m. Paris, October 12. The newspapers pay a tribute to the latest act of Belgian heroism and selfsacrifice. They point out the small value of fixed fortifications in the face of the terrific power of modern siege artillery. The capture of the town is a sterile victory. It is an attempt to counter-balance in the eyes of the German people the coming evacuation of French territory. THE NETHERLANDS ANNOYED. DUTCH SYMPATHY ALIENATED FliOM GERMANY. Received 12, 11 p.m. Rotterdam, October 12. - The bombardment of Antwerp has alienated Dutch sympathy from Germany. WHERE ROYAL MARRIAGES LEAD. Times and Sjdnny Sin Services. Received 12, o.M pm. London, October 12. By the irony of war, Prince Rupprecht, of Bavaria, brother-in-law of the Queen of the Belgians, commanded the besiegers at Antwerp. | , KAISER DISTRIBUTES HONORS. j Times and Sydney Sun Services. | Received 12, 5.30 p.m. I

London, October 12. I It is stated that the Kaiser promised the Iron Cross and £IOOO to the first soldier to enter Antwerp. AN INFERNAL CRASHING DIN. •PITIFUL FLIGHT OF FUGITIVES. BELGIAN ARMY'S ORDERLY I RETIREMENT. OERM.'N MASSED ARTILLERY IRRESISTIBLE.

FAMKE STALKS THROUGH BELGIUM. Amsterdam, October 11. When tlie first shell boomed in Antwerp City the dark, empty streets suddenly became alive with people, women and children crying and Hocking in every din. on. There was a quarter of an hour's lull, and then the booming of the big guns began. Each shot was followed by a weird and long-drawn-out din, then , eamc the final explosion, which was the j most fearsome of all. The bombard- i 'menfc continued till dawn, when there was a respite of two hours, after which I it commenced more fiercely than ever, j wifti the guns of the fortresses and the

field batteries joining in the chorus. Flames broke out everywhere, buildings crashed, and the place became an inferno. 'Meanwhile fugitives, many halfnaked, thronged the streets, the young dragging the old and infirm. There was no time to take property. Numbers of women fainted in their frantic efforts to reach the trains. Fugitives clung to every available part, sat on the footboards and roofs, even in the tender. Others swarmed in the boats on the quay. Thousands were left behind, and proceeded on a weary march to the frontier, which they reached in an exhausted state. A pathetic sight is that a number of escaped lunatics are ranging the country.

The Handclsblatt states that the possession of Antwerp may be a satisfaction to Germany, but the German object lias failed. The destruction of the garrison was more important than the capture of the lortress.

London, October 11. The Belgian field army retired from Antwerp in good order. The retreat, which began several days ago, was completed under the best conditions. The soldiers were oideral to leave the forts before they were blown up. They also destroyed the stores of petrol and benzine, and broke up the workshops at the Minerva factory, where machine-guns, nrmoral trains and aeroplanes have been made during the last month. German Zeppelins and aeroplanes dropped 140 bombs during the siege. Three hundred thousand Germans participated in the attack.

The conduct of the King throughout was an inspiration to the Belgian troops. He woTe th,e uniform of a private, and

shared his meals with the men in the trenches. He only left the city when it was impossible to do more. The capture of Antwerp imposes additional duties on the British licet, to see that Dutch neutrality is not violated by the Germans crossing the Scheldt. It is reported that nearly 50 vessels, ineluding 32 German steamers, were destroyed at Antwerp. Ostend, October 11. The Belgian army and the British force, with the King of the Belgians, has arrived safely. The Belgians manned the trenches at lAntwcrp for 72 hours. Headquarters were established in a high tower, which was connected by telephone with all the trenches. While the battle was confined to the infantry the Belgians easily held their own, but the overpowering massed artillery fire directed from Taube aeroplanes was irresistible. The English Women's National Service Hospital had alarming experiences. It was necessary to rescue 130 patients who were in the direct line of shell lire close by an ammunition building. Those ; able to walk were allowed to find their way out of the city. Sixty of the most serious eases were carried to cellars, where they spent Thursday night, the shells bursting above throughout. Ostend, October 11. The United States lias requested Germany to revictiial Brussels, and has suggested that the United States Minister should control the distribution of food. Amsterdam, October 11. Tho Antwerp garrison blew up the forts of Seooten, Brasshaet, Merzein, Cappelen, and others. Three thousand Belgian troops crossed the Dutch frontier and were interned. Besides the food shortage in Brussels, the Belgian Minister announces a famine in Liege, Xamur, Luxemburg, and llainaulc. London, October 11. The Berlin authorities are issuing German stamps surcharged "Belgium." A Central Exchange correspondent at The Hague reports that the Germans are swiftly moving on Ostend, hoping to capture the King and the Government. A German official messages states that the Germans captured enormous sup- | plies of all kinds at Antwerp. The ! number of prisoners cannot be estimated. General Baeseler, who directed the atI tack, has been decorated. I- (ieneral Baeselers proclamation warns | citizens that refractory conduct will be punished according to the laws of war, and may lead to the destruction of their beautiful city. BRITISH FORCE AT ANTWERP. ADMIRALTY STATEMENT. Wellington, Monday. The Premier has received the following from the High Commissioner, under date London, Oct. 10 (1.30 a.m.):— The Admiralty announces: "In response to an appeal by the Belgium Government, we sent to Antwerp during the last week of the attack two naval brigades, with heavy naval guns, and a detachment of the Royal Navy. 7ill 'Monday night last the Belgian army and marine brigade successfully defended the line of the Xethe River. Early on Tuesday morning the Belgiana on the right of the marines were forced to retire, and in consequence the whole defenc was withdrawn to the inner line' of forts. The inner line of defences was maintained on Wednesday and Thursday during the ruthless bombardment. The behaviour of the Royal Marines and naval brigades was praisworthy, and their losses were probably 300, out of a total of 8000. The defence could have been maintained for a longer period, but not long enough to allow adequate forces being sent to the relief without prejudice to tho main strategic situation. The Belgian and British military authorities in Antwerp decided to evacuate the town The British ofR-red to cover the retreat, but General Dlwuise desired them to leave before the last division of the Belgians. After a long night inarch to St. Giles, the three naval brigades entrained. Two of the brigades arrived at Ostend, but, owing to circumstances unknown, the greater part of the first naval brigade wus cut off by a German attack north, of Lokercn. Two thousand officers and men enter e;! Dutch territory, in the neighborhood of Hulst, and laid down their arms. The retreat of the Belgian army was successfully accomplished, and the naval armored trains and heavy guns were brought away. The retreat from Ghent onwards of the naval division and the Belgian army was covered by strong British reinforcements. GERMANY ENTHUSIASTIC. "THE BEGINNING OF THE END." Vienna, October 11. The fall of Antwerp caused unprecedented enthusiasm in Germany. It is regarded as the beginning of the end.

Flags were hoisted and demonstrators arc parading the streets. Wounded soldiers who recently arrived at Aix-le-Chapelle, Cologne and Dusseldorf were covered with tho flowers given them as presents. The Tages Zcitung states that the capture of Antwerp carries with it the germ of the capture of Paris arid a most serious blow at England. A GREAT PORT. The port of Antwerp is one of the greatest in the world, as the following figures show:—. Enteied. Cleared. New York 13,763,705 13,549,138 ■Antwerp 13,233,077 13,272,CG!> Hamburg ....... 11,830,040 11,945,339 Hong Kong .11,138,527 11,142,117 Rotterdam 10,624,499 10,609,814 London 10,800,716 8,748,005