Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-10-15
ARMIES TOF|GHT
FOR BELGIAN AND
FRENCH SEAPORTS
Crucial Struggle Imminent as
Allies Prepare to Check Ger
man Advance.

LONDON, Oct. 15--"The battle OF
the rivers" the long line of which still
| stretches across France, stood in the
background today in contrast with the
comparatively small field of opera
tons In the department of Nord and
| In West Flanders, where the contend
ing allied and German armies may de-
| eide during the next week, or perhaps
sooner, q phase of the struggle which
became acute when the Germans &C
cupied Antwerp and Ghent--a German
attempt to seize and hold the sea-
| ports of Belgium and France.
| 1t seems plain now that the German
| plan was to sweep on to Ostend and
thence to the French ports In the
same impetuous way that character
! lied the rush toward Paris, but In
| this, British military experts say, the
| invaders have been meeting with the
most stubborn kind of resistance.
Censor Hides Situation.
The RICHNESS of the censorship,
however precludes more than guesses
as to which side scored in the fighting
which followed the retirement of the
Belgians and the advance of the Ger
mans In the vicinity of Client. In the
rear of that city it is said that the
Germans have 100000 men, and all
blEIlS llulCdl6 lIldl u NlOttlt DebNliC lOI
possession of Ostend and other chan
mel ports is imminent or in actual
progress.
What became of the Belgian army
which retreated from Antwerp is not
yet known to the public; nor is the
composition of the allied forces seek
ing to check the German seaward
advance clear.
AS was the case before the fall of
Antwerp the British press in a meas
ure discounts the German occupation
of Ostend, though it was pointed out
today that If the allies continue to
mold the town of Ypres, which cuts the
German line, the continued occupation
of Ostend would be difficult.
Germans are reported in Belgium as
far northwest as Bruges, which place
their cyclists and patrols are said to
have entered.
Nothing during the forenoon In
dictated any marked change in the
situation in France or in the eastern
war arena.
King George and Queen Mary left
London today for Sandringham, the
royal estate in Norfolk.
Russia in the east seems to have
been compelled to follow the steps of
her enemy in the west and sacrifice
tho fruits of her victories by sending
achievements to another part Of the
long battle front. The resumption Of
the Austro-German offensive in
Galicia was one outcome of the action
of Russia in sending heavy reinforce
ments to the River Nieman, evidently
under the impression that the German
invasion of the Uwalki district was a
real menace, and not merely divert
Ing movement. The withdrawal of
Russian forces from Western Galieia.
however is regarded here to be not as
complete as first reported, for Vienna
admits that Przemysl Is still invested
on one side while Petrograd reports
| that the garrison of this fortress has
been invaded by disease and is on the
point of capitulation.
Other dispatches from the Russian
capital refer TO activity along the
Vistula river, where several attacks
are said to have been repulsed. and
declare that the great battle probably
is now under way, unless the Austro-
German advance has been hampered
by bad weather.
Some idea of the fierceness of the
fighting in Western France can be
gained from the fact that the town
of Rove, now in possession of the
allies. has been taken and retaken no
less than twelve times.
There is no question in the minds of
| British observers but that the Ger
man army is making desperate efforts
to reach the channel coast, and that
| the allies are no less determined to
prevent such an extension of the bat.
tie line.