The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1914-08-13
BELC|UM'S FATE
MAY Be DECIDED
BY BIG BATTLE
Dogs Of War Rush Together
Near Captured City
ALLIES OPPOSE The GERMANS

Fight Believed to Be Raging In Neigh
borhood of Liege In Which British
Get Their First Sight of German
Foe on Land-kaiser's Army Be-
ieved to Have Been Reinforced
Heavily.
Amsterdam, Aug. n.-Whether Bel
Iium shall be overrun by the invading
Germans, or whether the latter shall
be driven out, may depend ppon the
battle that is being fought today in the
vicinity of Liege between the kaiser'S
forces, nGlnbering over 100000, and
the combined army OF the allies, the
French, Belgians and English. The
forces engaged are of such magnitude
as to make this one of the creates.
battles OF history, but any attempt to
estimate the nu'IDer engaged is sim
ply guessing, as all channels of infor-
nation are closed.
Liege has fallen and is now in the
hands of the German attacking force
after one of the most heroic defenses
IN history, according to late advices
received here.
General Leman, the Belgian com.
an orderly retreat from the ring of
forts that stood as the outpost OF de-
tense.
Official communicates dated Aug. 9
are of conservative tone, but they
indicate that the machinery of the
German army became disorganized by
small incidents. They announce that
the Germans who have been captured
were all starving and were worn out
by forced marches.
Many military authorities have al
ways held that the German army was
a splendid machine, perfect for ma
neuvers in time of peace, but so high
ly trained and of SO complicated a
character that in time Of war if a cog
slipped the entire machine was thrown
out of action. the question no longer
is which army possesses the best the
oretical system, but which has the
best fighters.
London, Aug. IA Central News
dispatch from Amsterdam explained
the withdrawal of the Belgian outposts
into the ring of forts around Liegc.
Belgian army officers declared that
this was not retreat, but a strategic
movement to give the WORKOUT sol
diers a chance to secure a rest.
General Leman planned the opera
ton, which was carried out with ad-
mirable precision. The harried Bel
gians, worn by their exposure to the
three days bombardment from Ger
man batteries, filed over the BressOuX
bridge in good order and without
haste. AS the rear guard crossed dyn-
amite was placed under the bridge
and it was blown up to prevent the
Germans from following
The Belgian battle lines had been in
quadrant formation in the tongue of
the land lying between the Mouse and
Vesdre rivers. General Leman real
lid that their withdrawal would ex-
pose Liege TO the German army, but
Notwithstanding this fact he felt sutti-
GENTLY sure of the wisdom of his plan
10 put it into effect without delay.
General Leman secretly sent orders
to the commanders of the Belgian
Outposts TO prepare for the movement
and at the same time couriers were
sent into Liege to inform the TROOPS
in the citadel to evacuate the city.
This allowed the Belgians to remove
all their ammunition and provision
stores and live stock from the city be-
lore the Germans took possession.
A telegram from Charleroi, Bel
GUM, to the Daily Mail says force
Of French troops arrived in time to
participate in a fine success of Gen
eral Leman's Belgian division over
the German troops investing Liege.
The French succeeded in reaching the
town of Liege and working behind the
Germans, cut off their retreat. The
Germans are said to have lost 5000
killed and wounded while LOO Of
| them were captured.
Information from the front confirms
the report that the German troops
nave ceased their advance by the val
ley of the Ourthe. They are said to
have retired on their reserves and to
De throwing up defensive works.
The German offensive movement to
the north of Liege is developing.