New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-22
The Germans in Brussels.

cspture Of an enemy's capital IS Of considerable
CONSEQUENCE. II puts that enemy at disadvan-
tsse in conducting government and continuing
plans Of defence
The loss Of Brussels shuts the Belgian govern
ment Nd in Antwerp. cutting It of from direct
connection with the rest Of Belgian territory That
isolation may be inconvenient politically Yet It
would be wrong to treat 1t as serious military
setback Brussels had no value in the scheme Of
defence which Belgium adopted 1t was left un-
fortified. and against powerful enemy there was
no sound reason for trying 10 defend it.
On the contrary, It was good policy for the Bel
gian government to retire into Antwerp, which is
q modern fortress-one OF the strongest Of the kind
in all Europe Antwerp is impregnable against
direct assault. 1t can be reduced only by slow
siege and il has the exceptional advantage of being
p seaport and having access TO waters controlled
by the allied fleets. It can be supplied from the
North Sea and its forces are in no danger Of being
starved into a surrender. II the Germans merely
shut # in with their second line troops and do not
press the siege the part of the garrison not needed
can be sent 70 Join the allied forces. Noncom-
batants can also be gotten rid OF without difficulty
Investing Antwerp is therefore a very different
nroposition from that which Moltke dealt with in
$50. when he isolated Strassburg Metz and Bel.
fort. They were all cut of from relief. and in the
cases Of Strassburg and Metz they had 10 yield 10
the relentless pressure Of a siege. The French
troops shut up in them we're lost TO France in the
time Of her greatest need, and at Metz not only
The regular garrison had to capltulate but also the
main French army under Marshal Bazaine.
4 movement which isolates an opposing army
and drives it into fortified place to stay until It
s starved into terms is one Of the most brilliant
feats Of strategy. That is what General Grant &C
complished at vcksburg. But the Germans have
not accomplished it at Antwerp since at Antwerp
m exit is left open down the River Scheldt The
existence Of great fortress capable Of being used
as basis Of operations against its line Of COM
munications makes hazardous q German advance
northwest through Brussels The lines back 10
Iiege and Aix-la-C hapene must be very strongly
guarded especially II the Liege forts hold out and
the fortress Of Namur. on the Meuse River above
Liece. remains in the hands OF the allies.
In moving from Liege TO Brussels the Germans
have not gotten any nearer TO Paris. They have
marched northwest while Paris lies to the south
west The direct road to Paris is through Namur,
and that road is still blocked by the allied armies.
should the Germans continue their turning move
ment 10 the northwest they will bring up IN
Client and be stu as far from Paris as they are
now. little more progress in that direction would
carry them head-on against Ostend and Dunkirk,
IN the English Channel where a turn southwest
ward would become absolutely necessary.
It is evidently the purpose OF the allies to meet
the German attack near the boundary line between
France and Belgium, using the Belgian border
forts as rallyng points. In that case Namur would
probably be left TO shift for itself The original
French plans for defence undoubtedly provided for
resistance along that line and the heroic efforts Of
the Belgians have given the French General STAFF
practically three weeks in which TO complete
preparations for defending the border from Mau-
beuge north 10 the coast.
IN MOltkeS campaign o. 1870 ne worked drOunI
behind Bazaine's army and drove it from the west
into Metz. Next he got between MacMahon's army
and Paris and pushed MacMahon and Napoleon Ill
back into Sedan, on the Belgian frontier. He com,
pletely reversed the natural positions Of the OPP
posing forces-the Germans fighting facing east
and the French fighting facing west But the Brus-
sells turning movement has not yet really begun 10
turn Even IL the German advance should get to
Client and Dundrk, It would stiI be facing south.
west and the allied troops would be between it
and Paris.
German invasion by the Brussels route has
been forecast by all the operations following the
occupation Of the city Of Liege The fact that
General Jorre led a French thanking movement
from Belfort into upper Alsace and then directed
further advances through the vosges Mountains
aud north Of the yosges into Lorraine indicates
,upreme confidence on the part Of the chief Of The
allies in his ability 10 fatten out the German
turning movement through Belgium The first