The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-09-29
Folkstone Getting
"On the Map

FOLK E.STONE. ENG. September rs
Since British wounded and Belgian
refugees began TO arrive In Englan,
on every boat. this quaint old coas
tow has been put ION tho map known
perhaps FOR the first time, 10 the Who'll.
world
F"llicston. slowly. bu, surely, 1,
waking up to ind Itself famous. +
Is not at all certain that the towr
welcomes the idea, but II bears IL,
unexpected honors with quiet dignity
for as each day Of the war passes ant
the boats from tho Continent arriv,
with victims Of German barbarit,
FOLK cstono haH TO unbend and WORK n.
II probably never has done before
suddenly {, has developed from n
typical English aside resort into u
huge caruvanscrai. The number oi
French ana Hclgiau refugees has grown
into a very serious problem. All sort.
and conditions OF men. women and
children AFRO there. Hotels and boa ri
ing houses arc full. and the people are
asking themselves. What shail wc do
with tho hundreds to come
Fortunately FOR Tolkstouc and the
refugees themselves. Tho problem IL be-
ing faced boldly and generously. Those
with ready money or credit arc finding
the large hotels confederate and ready
smaruy dressed people. some OF whom
bear tho hall mark ot Paris and
Brussels. The description refugees"
hardly applies 10 these people. but tho
SERIOUS faces and expressive gestures
prov" that. they fool as much as do the
poorct people what their country is
suffering Many az tho arrivals are
mid'ile-class people with moderate
means, ana these rarely stay more than
night or two IN tho large hotels, and
then they retire to tho boarding houses
and lodging houses. and some of them
viii soon md thcmHelVes In sore
straits
The poor refugees arc terribly poor,
many Of thom having ilttlc or no lug
gage. and their personal condition fire.
aucdtly neccsSitatcs the most careful
examination. Tho authorities, both
local and imperial have, however, risen
to the occasion uoblN. The representa-
tives OF the Homo Office and the Folkc-
stone Eoliof Comni,tea' there al
most cvrv hour OF the day so, too are
the corsuls. and between them these
authorities house hundreds Or home
less families and dispatch hundreds OF
others {" London. They have oven
found work for few. but each boat
adds to The problem.
Nj day the pier has been thronged
with crowds Of people. not one n holt
day maker. II Ght seem as II the
daN had gone forever when ono would
take boat from Folkestoue to MAKE
holiday on the Continent Nor Of the
scores VIII" arc arriving from Ostcnd,
Ar'wcrp. picrpe and Flushing. arc any
heat on pleasure. Each and all are
nling before tho devastating advance
OF tn" common enemy. TO travel tho
TOW miles between London and this
town brings the war infinitely nearer
than Womb bc Imagined In London
we see soldiers aid recruits; we at
tend patriotic demonstrations and read
neWsp"pers' but here one seems to be
on ihc very fringe OF action
six steamers have arrived in
Foik"stone III ono day from the Con-
tnental ports just named. Between
th"m th"y have brought nearly 5000
refugees. chiefly from I5eigium. one
would require TO travel far. indeed to
Sc" more varied groups than those
which all day long have been crossing
the Gangways and climbing up tho pier
steps. OF the scores who have come
ashore. many nave found quarters in
the town itself. Others. and. in fact
the majority have filled tho waiting
trains and gone 10 London AmonE
them all thera il scarcely one who has
not suffered. Every face wca.s an ex-
PRESTON OF sorrow. Some attempt TO
De- gay ami boistc.ous in spite of their
conceal the grief which they cannot
lucnch. Others arc silent and morose.
some weep umrcStraincdly.
The boats rs they come in show n
ieCk full OF people clustered together.
There are families innuncrahlc, bcrcft
If everything save n few essential be-
onS!nGs which they have been able
iastily 10 tie up in blanket. There
arc EelSian laborcrs, clad in corduroy
and carpet slippers, carrying the yer!
Implements with which until recent
Y they titled the soil over which the
[asers soldiers have marched.
athletic in the extreme is the sight !
presented h.. groups OF little children. |
Utterly ignorant o: the significance OF !
heir sudden voyage 10 a foreign shore. !
There arc people. obviously wcll-to-
10. who appear 20 be suffering but |!
inconvcnicnco in the crowd |!
d steamer.
One vcssc! brought a larco Number
+ people from Malines. They were tho
poorest Of the poor. travelling under the !
direction OF their parish priest. whose ,
ishop had charged him with thcir safe
onduct. lie told an appalling tale OF
he savaGcry Of the German soldiers !,
nd the burning OF his town. In fact
ono OF the barbarit,cS which he de-
cribcd cannot be reproduced in print.
For seven days Malincs was shcllcd."
e said, ana then the Germans adj
anccd upon il. We had to iicc ut ones.
nd we got together what things we
ould and loaded them on carts and
'agons and any kind OF vehicle that
ould be found. We set off for Ant
'erp. and moi long after our departure
ur town was in flames behind us
omchow we got to Antwerp. and the
oat brought us here. II was terrible
ling the burning OF our town. but Lou
ain was worse"
The people under his care we're trav-
ing to London. Many Of the refugees
al friends III London TO whom they
ere going for help, but II Is imposs-
lie to discover how the poorest classes
lll CarrX Their nNistcnca In dig |