New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-31


against the heroic courage OF tne
French and British forces. who nght
every mile Of ground during their re-
tircment. is leading the enemy INTO a
position from which there will be no
retreat # their lines Of communication
fail. IL.
unfortunately. there arc hundreds
OF thousands OF people who know noth-
ing Of the great issues. and VINO are
possessed by a great blind rear tna'
has driven them from their homes
When the Germans swept around Lone
they found 10 their amazement that
this town. surrounded by forts mao
been abandoned, and they had only 10
walk inside. This was easy access 70
town which should have been de1ehd-
ed 10 the last gasp. 49,.
The English troops were an 700
weak 10 sustain the pressure OF 'he
tremendous odds which began TO surge
against them. and. realizing the peru
Gus state Of affairs, the BRAIN at 'ne
cor.re &c things. the controlling brain
Of General JofFre and his headquarters
80 decreed that the northwest cor
nor Of France was untenable, and that
10 main army of defence should with
draw into stronger and closer lorna
tion. II was then that the great panic
be0an. increasing in speed and terror
"During the end of last week l was
in the midst Of II. | saw unforgettaDIe
scenes Of the enormous tragedy 1t
was inc flight Of hundreds and thou,
ends Of families from Stomer ana
Roubaix. Bethune. Doual. Nalenclenhes
and Arras. who were driven away from
tbeir northern homes by the menace OF
.,.,roecbino ThIanS. They are sun
beirg hunted by fear from place TO
place. where they can ma no sheI'ei ;
to nern,anent safety The railways
- been choked with them. and IN
.Loee long fugitive trains when pass
through stations where there is no 1000
or drink. the poor runaways, weary,
Cltbv exhausted. spend long days ana
,iobts sbunted on to side lines WnlIe
,rooD trains pass and pass, ana are
hold ND in towns where they can ilhu
no means Of existence because the last
/ civilian train has left -.
..[Vhen the troops marched away nom
Bouloene and left 1t silent ana uH-
Guarded the inhabitants were u'tel
/ dismaved. They saw the placaras pasI'
ed ND by order Of the governor "hlcn
announced the evacuation OF the 'oN
and called upon them TO be ready Ioi
/ AN sacrifices in the service OF 'he4i
country. The customs ofhcers lel'' .nt
civil police were dlsarmed ana IN.
white flag with nine black spo'S wa
made ready 10 be holsted on tne I 10,
+ directly any Uhlans were slghteG' ihe
people Of BoulOgne could not uhuei
ltord No Frenchmen OF the north can
understand why their forts ahe loWns
orc silent after the tramp OF man!
Teoiments. who have left great trac'
/ ~ country open and uudefended IN tha'
liner If France. The people listen
in+entlv for the first olatter OF moor
and for the first cry OF Les Uhlans'
] Pur,ors come that the enemy has oeeH
I seen in neighbOrlng towns ana villages
"Can one wonder that mothers an'
fo4bers rush from their houses an'
wander forth in blind, unreasohih'
,.sv 20 swell the panic tide OF fugl
.ives homeless and without 1000
cropping here and there on the way
side from utter wearinesS.
II was lucky in getting GU; o.
Roulogne on the last train bound ioI
PARIS. though not guaranteed
roach the capital. As a matter OF iae'
was even more lucky, because ~ dl'
NOT arrive at its destination ana en-
obled me 10 alight in the war zoh'
and proceed 20 more interesting
u will tell at once the story OF I'M
French retirement when the Germans
advanced from Namur down the ValIel
- tbc Aleuse. winning the way al
,oe, Of human life as great IS ina
of defeat. vet winning their way. foI
Erorce the story of that re'Iremeh
is a. glorious as anything IN her ms
tory. Il is nearly fortnight ago una
the Germans concentrated their heaVl
ect forces upon Namur and began u
nrcss southwark and over the Meus'
/ Valley after the battle Of Dinant. Th'
/ French army, among whom were th'
I'd and 7th corps, was newly out
numbered at the time and had 10 iai
back gradually in order 10 gam TIME
for endorsements 70 come up.
"The French artillery was up OF
wooded heights above the river anC
swept the German regiments wltf
gtorm Of IRE as they advanced on the
RIGHT bank. The French infantry was
intrenched. supported by field guns
and mitraillcuses, and did deadly
work before lcaping from the trenches
which they occupied and taking up a
position in new trenches further back
which they held with great tenacity.
"In Justice TO the Germans II must
be said that they were heroic in cour-
age and reckless Of their liyes, ard the