The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1914-08-14
OAQuVQ
Drive Germans Back
in Belgium.
LOSSES ARE HEAVY
100000 Men in Action on
Franco-German Frontier.
RUSSIA CLAIMS VICTORIES
Defeated the Austrians Along
the DnleSter.
LOSSES ARE HEAVY
RUSSIA CLAIMS VICTORIES
Defeated the Austrians Along
the Dnlester.

London, Aug. IA great battle Is
renorted to be in progress along the
entire front of the German and French
armies.
Reports that the expected general
conflict has started is contained IN
news dispatches from Paris. Inese
said that the battle started on Tues
day and that 1000 guns were put INTO
action. Reverberations of the cannon
weer heard along the lines LOT lou
miles.
number of wounded soldiers ar
rived at Southampton. Though lnfor-
nation as to what army they belonged
to was withheld, the arrival might IN
dictate that the British expedition was
having a large part of the fighting In
Belgium.
Lord Roberts was appointed COM
mander-in-chief of the oversee domln-
ion forces OF Great Britain. THESE
forces include not only the regular
British army, but also the troops rals-
cd In the colonies.
Meantime, in Belgium, what is de-
clared to be the first. considerable pat
tie In the open, the fighting at Llege
being characterized as siege, occur
red on Wednesday, and Is designated
a. the battle of Haelen.
This engagement, with about 12,Ooo
men in action, was fought some thirty
miles to the northwest of Liege and
eighteen miles northeast of LouValn,
q Belgian concentration point.
The battle conferred around the town
of Haelen, in Belgian Limburg, and ex'
tended to Diest, in the province OF
Brabant, after passing around Zeei'
hem. Fighting continued all day, ana
shells fell around Diest.
According to the Belgian version
the encounter was a victory for the
Belgians, the Germans forming the
extreme right of the kaiser's army be-
ing forced back in the direction OF
Hasselt, north of Liege. One unofficial
report said that the Germans were
routed"
The German column engaged mum
1an1 1000 alIa few more. comprising
the secQrS German cavalry division,
supported infantry and twelve
pieces Of artillery. The Belgians ap'
parently had a somewhat larger force,
comprising a cavalry division, brt
kade Of infantry and some artillery.
Germans Pushing Toward Namur.
Omcially in Brussels it was asserted
that 5000 Germans were killed OF
wounded, while the Belgian losses
were relatively small"
A Central News dispatch to London
said that, despite the reported re-
verses to the Germans, they were
pushing the main body of their right
wing toward Louvain and that fighting
was In progress at Louvain, Hasselt,
Dfest and Haelen.
The Belgian Wat Office also announc.
cd that the Germans, marching on
Namur, had been defeated with heavy
losses" as Eghezee, ten miles north
Of Namur. Use of machine guns on
motor cars was feature Of this en-
gasement.
Heavy fighting also is reported as
occurring at Tirlement, northwest of
Lege, on the road to Louvain.
Heavy losses of the Belgian cavalry
1t Tirlement are admitted, but Brus-
sells says that the Belgian infantry re-
pulsed the Germans.
The Germans showed signs of con.
siderable activity, after their retreat
ON the previous day from a force
which, coming in the direction of Ton.
gres, had threatened st. Trond.
They took the offensive anew and
made q bold attempt to break through
the allied lines at a point which, I'm.
fortunately for themselves, they be.
ueved to be weakly held. The Ger
mans flung fully 500 men against a
point Of the allied defensive line.
The attack completely failed, the
Germans being repulsed with great
loss.
It was really the first pitched battle
In the open country, in which all arms
were engaged. The Belgians were ably
supported by their French allies. Ger.
man losses are reported to be severe,
for. apparently regardless of losses,
the attacking troops hurled their men
against unusually strong natural pc.
Sitions.
The artillery did great execution in
the ranks of the advancing Germans
who late at night were reported to
have fallen back in some confusion to
the entrenched position they had oc-
cupied southwest Of Liege.
These encounters attest the fact
that both Germans and allies have
drawn their lines and that the 'an-
tannae" of the two armies have felt
one another out and that the main
forces are in touch all along the front.
Germans Hold Three Towns.
It was admitted that the kaiser's
army held Huy, March and Hauffalize.
all on the way to Namur from Liege.
These places are said to be occupied
by cavalry.
Another version, unofficial, In Cen.
trail News despatch from Brussels.
says . great artillery dnsl>Has been
on for two days at 4N.
At the time it is asserted that
the be1Hans still hold the forts at
pIlege. The Germans are planting
siege guns there and the reduction OF
the forts apparently is matter OIL
only q short time.
The United States consulate Is In
the line of fire at Lege, but so Tar
has not been damaged.
Meanwhile the theoretic area OF tho
var has been extended by the formal
declaration OF war by Great Britain