New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-09-27
Germans Weapons Re-
quire SO Traction En-
gines to Move Them.
PROJECTILE FIRED
WEIGHS $500 LBS.
Poisoned Metal Used, It Is Said,
in Making Bombs Dropped
by Zeppellns.
10y Cable to The Tribune. |

Antwerp, Sept. 26.-Every day seems
TO add to the almost teVerish activity
within the new Belgian capital, for II
is becoming more and more apparent
that the Germans, having suffered 80
much from repeated sorties from Ant
werp, have decided to take the city IL
possible. A small corps OF aviators
which did splendid work have brought
back information to the effect that the
Germans, who are well intrenched some
ten or twelve miles beyond the outer
line Of fortresses, are merely biding
their time until heavy siege guns can
be brought into action.
The preliminRries to this ia ke con-
siderable time, as the guns are in eight
sections and require the united efforts
of thirty-six traction engines to move
them into position after an elaborate
concrete bed has been prepared. In
deed, so much material is needed to
provide the siege guns with a sum
GENTLY strong basis that 1t takes weeks
for the concrete to set, The guns
throw a projectile weighing more than
$500 pounds, and the violence Of firing
is 30 tremendous that the gunners,
specially trained engineers from
Krupps, stand long way of when the
discharge takes place. 1t is understood
that each gun can Are thousand shots
in many directions.
The Germans have begun TO build up
suitable beds for these mighty wea-
ponS, hut whether they will succeed
in finishing them is another matter,
certainly not II the intention OF the
Belgians is carried out, but what their
plan Of campaign is must be left for
the Germans to find out.
II is computed by the authorities that
the Germans can only obtain access to
the city at the expense of losing 100,-
600 men killed and six times that num-
Der wounded. The Germans probably
know how formidable a, task is before
them, because the place Is infested with
spies, but under existing conditions the
Germans cannot ignore Antwerp and SO
it was decided that they try to occupy
the capital even at an enormous sacri-
flee.
The work of completing the Belgian
defences is occasionally enhvened by
Zeppelin bomb dropping, which the peo-
pie have come to regard with small con-
Germ, although when the day of reckon
ing comes to the list of fiendish NAL
practices will have been added the
atrocious crime of using poisoned metal
for bomb making. 1t is said on excel
lent authority that no person, however,
slightly cut by bomb fragment. ever
RECEIVERS. Rapid blood poisoning sets in
and death ensues in a few days.
London, Sept. ga Central News
dispatch from Amsterdam quotes an
telegram from the frontier
as saying:
at appears that the German attack
on Antwerp is likely to begin at an
carly date. For some days large bodies
of troops have been conveyed from AK
la Chapelle to the district; east and
south of Antwerp.
"Heavy siege guns have arrived and
have been placed rapidly in position
against the southern forts, while on
the eastern side heavy Austrian howit-
zers have been brought up and earth
works constructed.
The Hague (via London, Sept. &c.
Part of the force gathering outside
Antwerp for an attack on that city is
Austrian, according to dispatches re-
ceived here from Dutch correspondents.
Some Of the siege artillery also IS
The artillerymen are mark
ing time, waiting for the drying Of the
concrete foundations necessary for the
heaviest artillery, which is said to be
the same employed at Maubeuge.
More heavy artillery has been placed
in position near Grimberghen and
Meysse, from which places the inhab-
itants have been moved for safety. d.
The influx of German troops into the
neighborhood of the Antwerp lines
continues, eighteen trainloads of sol
diers having arrived Saturday. The
authorities have discontinued the issu-
ance Of passes permitting the holders
to cross the borders.