New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-22
Advances Toward DieSt
Cost Many Lives in
Last Two Days.
THEIR ARTILLERY
BESTED BELGlANS
Kaiser'S Troops Took Big
Risks in Attacking Near
Swampy Ground.
CAVALRY ADVANCES
NEAR AULENARDE
French Advance Over Meuse
Threatens to Close the
Line They Crossed.


Waterloo, via London, Aug 21.-A
correspondent Of The Daily News"
telegraphing on Thursday, says: "If We
put the facts Of the last two days TO-
gether, so far as we know them, with
out going outside official information,
this seems to be about the position:
"The German northern army, blocked
at Namur north and south by tie
French, had two possible alternatives,
supposing their objective to be Brus-
sells, and Brussels was necessary to
reaffrm their credit in Berlin.
"The first alternative was through
Gembloux, Quatre Bras and Gensppe
and avoiding the forest Of Zoignes.
This would have brought them through
between the French left wing in me
neighborhood of Sombrefne and The
Belgian lines from Wavre to Diest
"The second was 70 push north along
the frontier TO Hasselt and break
through the Belgian left before the
Belgian. could be reinforced by the
French. This was their choice. The
French did some very fine marching in
order TO profit by the splendid Belgian
resistance at Haelen, Diest. etc, and
establish complete chain.
When I was among the French At
May, Gembloux and Perweiz It
seemed as if they were waiting 10 force
the Germans 10 take more southerly
line and face them and the Belgian arc
on the north
Germans Niscalculsted.
This would have been so, but for
one thing. Under cover of their scat
tered Uhlans here, there and all o.er
the country, forcing the Belrians. al
ways IN inferior numbers, to expand
their contact as their attacks we're To-
Gated, the Germans found far larger
force than was estimated across the
Meuse behind Liege. They pushed rap
idly north by motor. etc, ahead of the
French, and by sheer weight of num-
bers hurlinc their columns in mass, at
great sacrifice Of lie. back of the
Belgian left at Diest and Aerschot. in
the terrific fighting OF the last two
days
The French made great efforts to get
up and actually got certain number
by forced marches far enough to take
the places Of the decimated Belgian
regiments in line, but the smashing
numbers OF artillery made the Belgian
position IN its open trenches and en-
tanglements on easy country impossi-
ble The Germans took great risks, for
the swamps behind Hasselt formed no
ground for retreatlng and the neutral
frontier was close behind As they
moved north and from their base in
pursuit they performed turning move
ments on the Belgian left.
But their avistors, who had been over
our heads all these days, directed them
rightly. Their left once turned, the
small Belgian army had no choice but
10 retreat on Malines and Anewerp.
They had 10 choose between defending
Brussels and keeping their link with
the French, and covering Antwerp. which
opened the road 20 Brussels. Antwerp
was obviously more important and bet
ter prepared tor defence. Brussels
must have been destroyed, with i'm
rncnse loss OF life
Many Districts Evacuated.
Wavre and all the adjacent districts
we're evacuated as the Belgisns tray-
elled north. Their retirement com
PEELED a similar, If a slight, falling
back Of the French upon Hombreff 20
protect their own left wing when the
link was broken. The Germans were
given free passage through on the
east and south 20 Brussels. The
rapidity Of their progress IS evidenced
bv the fact that VIXEN J passed around
west of Brussels yesterday advance
cavalry parties were already reported
i'm the ncighborhood Of Aulenarde.
about thirty-eight miles west Of Brus-
sols toward Lille. The Germans at
Brussels are largely out OF the game.
The Belgians threaten their northern
communications. Liege, so FAR as We
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