Evening star., 1914-10-07
Berlin Declares North Sea Belt
Virtually Closes the
! Channel.
GERMAN GUNS ADVANCED
FOR Antwerp ASSAULT
Believed Heavy Bombardment Will
Be Necessary Before Breach in
Forts Can Be Made.

BERLIN, October (by wireless to
Sayville, L. 1.-THE British announce
ment concerning the laying of mines
in the southerly part of the North sea
Is published in Berlin this morning
Commenting on this measure, it was
pointed out here that 1t virtually closes
the channel to neutral shipping, and
that this belt of mines stretching be-
tween Ramsgate and Ostend consti-
tutes an effective, although unofficial
blockade of the ports of Holland. The
prospects of navigation when the
storms of winter tear these mines loose
from their anchorages are not particu-
larry pleasant
The German admiralty has reiterated
its declaration that German mines have
been laid only along the coast of Great
Britain.
News received here of the situation be-
fore Antwerp sets forth that the German
big guns have been advanced to new
positions for the bombardment OF the
inner line of forts. The military critic
of the Lokal Anzeiger expresses the
opinion that heavy bombardment Will
be necessary before a breach in these
closely linked fortifications can be made.
He says desperate sorties may be ex-
pected.
No definite news of the situation in
Berlin today
Big Battles Expected.
Press matter given out in Berlin Off
cial circles today includes the follow
ing:
Big battles between German and Rus
sian armies in Poland may soon be ex-
pected to take place.
Belgian officers some days ago sent
an unguided railway train to destroy
the transports of the big German siege
howitzers. The vigilance of the German
railway troops, however, frustrated the
plan.
German newspapers speak of the pos
sibility of Portugal declaring war
against Germany.
According to the Berlin Lokal
Anzeiger. Great Britain transported
the Indian Mohammedan troops to
France because these troops would per-
haps become dangerous in the Indian
unrest.
Russia's Policy Forced Servia.
''Servian papers published at Nish de-
clare that Russia's policy has forced
Servia into desperate situation, which
may result in total breakdown.
The official report of Prof. Otto Won
Falke. director of the Berlin Museum
Of Art, who made an investigation of
The situation at Louvain, says that
here were no losses in important art
monuments. All the pictures in St
'eters Church were rescued by Lieut.
Ehelemann and taken to the town hail
Turkey has declared the Sea of Mar
mora, the inland waters between the
Oardanelles and the Bosphorus, to be a
-orbidden zone for shipping.
Salar Ed Dowleh, a brother of the
.ormer Shah of Persia, Mohammeda
Ah Mira, known as an enemy of Rus
sia, who has been a fugitive from Per-
<'ia for some years, has now returned
% the Persian frontier from Europe
nth consignment of arms.
British Fears Over Egypt.
The mobid fear on the part of the
;nglish that the truth of the present
ituation in Europe might become
;-nown in Egypt has resulted in very
trfct measures and some blundering.
'All travellers arriving in or leaving
Egypt are searched for letters or
,apers. English officials at Alexandria
.ieptember q made an extended search
or the wife of the khedive and for his
lister. Princess Nimet Hanem.
Egyptian students overheard making
remarks uncomplimentary to Great
britain are fiogged and then sent to
all for three months. Subscribers to
Turkish newspapers are sentenced to
three months in prison and fined E1OO
The troops of India were told that
hey were being sent to Europe for a