The Washington times., 1914-08-18
DEFENSE FALLS BACK.

Slowly but surely the Germans at
| tacking columns are rolling the Belgian
French defenders back on Brussels.
Despite a rigid censorship 1t is known
that skirmishing began at daylight
at a number of points along the
line. but with most strength displayed
at a point west by south Of Huy.
Whether the Belgians will offer great
resistance in case Of a general move
ment upon Brussels appears uncertain
! today. 1t Is declared semi-officially
that the prospective capture of the
capital is causing no great concern.
The city is not a strategic point and
will be Of no value to the Germans ex-
cept from a sentimental standpoint, the
Belgians declare.
The ministers Of war, finance, and
foreign affairs are now established at
Antwerp. The French and Russian am
bassador also left Brussels with the
their countries were left in the hands
Of the Spanish legation.
While no knowledge is obtainable as
TO the exact Brtish-French position, it
is believed that the allied armies will
hardly sacrifice many men for the
sentimental purpose OF holding the
capital against the German combined
armies.
The Belgian war office insists the
German move southwark from the
vicinity of Liege had been checked,
but other reports indicate a steady ad-
vance beginning at daybreak-
The German Lines.
The main lines of the German forces
in Belgium today may be said to be
those Of a great inverted V. The apex
is at Liege, one foot is in the neigh
borhood of Wavre, fifteen miles south
east of Brussels. and the other is in
the Dinant region south of Namur.
Whether or not the Germans intend
to seize Brussels, which Is poorly for
titled, the movement in this direction
can hardly be other than a covering
movement for the advance down the
Meuse valley toward the French from
tier, which advance-and this is the
salient point of tho dispatches of the
last few days-neither the forts at
Lege nor those at Namur are stop
ping.
Just as the Bulgarians during the
first Balkan war, after vain assaults
on Adrianople, invested the city and
pressed on 10 the Tchatalja lines, SO
the Germans have invested the forts
at Liege and are now investing Namur,
while cavalry and artillery approach
the French frontier.
Encircing Namur.
The Germans had already swung a
circle around Liege through Tongres,
st. Trond. Huly and Verviers. and yes
terday. the dispatches state. they
were fighting at Wavre, 20 miles TO
the northwest of Namur at Yvoir, ten
miles to the south of the stronghold
Last weeks dispatches reported the
Germans to be ten miles southeast Of
Huy, and Huy is midway between
Liege and Namur. A glance at a map.
therefore. will show that the Kaiser
forces are within twenty miles of
Namur on three sides. north, east and
south. Moreover, they are already
on the Franco Belgian
Where the Meuse enters Belgium
through the storied forest of Ardennes
the French frontier takes a great bite
into Belgium. Near the head of this
indentation is the French town OF
GiVet. Yesterdays dispatches state
that after the fighting Saturday at Di-
nant, ten miles from the frontier. the
Germans instead of retreating eastward
took a southerly course along the Meuse
valley toward Giyet.
In yesterdays fighting, just as at
Dinant, the German cavalry are report
ed 10 have been driven back, but In all
the engagements in Belgium there have
been no reports or cavalry cut off, in
that there must be strong Ger
man supporting forces near the scene
of each engagement. and therefore near
the Belgian frontier. 1t is even
probable that the German right and
center have effected a junction in Bel
gian Luxembourg.
Direction of Advance.
The direction of the German advance
through the cockpit of Europe there
fore has not been altered by the check
at Liege. 1t is still down the Meuse. |
But, 1t would seem, a decision has been |
taken to waste no more lives or time |
In assaulting Belgian strongholds. The !
German forces are passing around them. !
On the southeastern battle line, Al !
sace-L Lorraine, fortune appears to con- !
tipue with the French and their British |
allies. The French war office has even |
announced that troops OF the republic |
have penetrated through lower Alsace. ]
crossed the Rhine and taken st. Blssisns