Imperial Valley press., 1914-10-14
On to Offend.

sN''N' >StNo'iiy PtSIOiS vi tnS
enemy, screening the rapid advance
OF the main bodies, already have been
reported in the vicinity of Eecloo. II
miles north of Ghent German cav
airy also has been reported in the
region about Bruges, which is de-
olared to be suffering from the severe
shell fire of German siege guns. Bru-
ges IS only twenty-three miles from
Ostend.
Dispatches from Ostend hold out
little hope of the retention of the
city by the Belgian and British forces
and the transfer today of the Belgian
government to Havre, France, would
seem to indicate that the city is not
preparing for an energetic resistance.
The official statement from Bor-
deaux regarding the removal of the
Belgian government says that it is
done to give full liberty of action 70
the Kingdoms ministries, but activi-
ties in every branch of the governs
ment still represented at Ostend aft
er the removal of the several DEPART
ments to Havre indicate that there is
no serious intention of subjecting Os-
tend to German bombardment by re-
sisting their occupation of the city.
The Germans have been moving rap
idly westward from Antwerp and
strong German detachments are re-
ported to have passed through Bial-
leul, in the Department Du Nord, in
France, in the direction of Ypres, 26
miles south of Ostend, where the Ger
mans have concentrated in large num-
bers, and the two columns are be-
lieved to be converging on Ostend.
German cavalry have been seen 20
miles from Dunkirk and 40 miles
northwest of Lille, evidently screen
ing a force which has moved north
east from the latter city, which the
invaders have occupied. This army
obviously constitutes the force that
the German commanders are throw
ing oct toward the sea to prevent the
retirement of the Ostend garrison
westward to join with the allies left
in France. The allies have sent
strong forces of troops to prevent the
German raid on seacoast towns and
even if this army is unable to reach
Ostend in time to prevent the Ger
man occupation, it will be a large fac
tor in checking the sweep of the in
raders westward toward Dunkirk and
Calais.
Dispatches from Calais today stat
ed that the Kaiser's troops were max
ing great preparation for a battle
in Belgium. Increasing activity by
The German forces between Lille and
the French coast has been noted and
another large force of Germans is
reported to have left Lille in the di-
rection of Courtrai, in Belgium, occu-
pied by the Kaiser's troops.
King Albert of Belgium is report
ed to have remained in Ostend when
he government ministries were re-
moving to Havre. He decided, ac-
,ording to the report, to cast his lot
With the fragment of the shattered
Belgian army which reached Ostend
lfter upwards of $4,000 Belgian troops
rad entered on Dutch soil to escape
,apture by the Germans. These troops
Will re interned during the war. The
British, including many marines, have
oeen sent to Groningen. Holland IS
bearing up heroically under this ad-
,itional strain which has been thrust
ipon it, but the Dutch government
S determined to do everything in the
interest of humanity while maintain.
ng strictly its neutrality.
The German occupation of Ghent
has not as yet been officially con-
,irmed, but press dispatches bearing
he news have been passed by the war
,ffice censor here without comment"
AS if to warn of the coming of the |
Germans, three Taube aeroplanes flew
,ver Ostend on Monday afternoon, two |
If them dropping bombs which failed
% explode. In some sources it is re-
;orted that the raids by the German
.irmen were largely responsible for
he removal of the government to
France. The aerial invasion has
spread panic among the people of Os-
end and all day long passenger
steamers, heavily laden with refugees
md their belongings, have been ply
ng across the channel to England,
where it is estimated no fewer than
100000 refugees from Belgium will
ave landed within a week.