The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1914-08-20
MAMMOTH
CON F : |, K
IMMINE;N T
immense ArInieSAre
in Contact.
GERMAN LEG|0NS ). ARE
INVESTING BRUSSELS
Naval Activities Are Also Ad-
mitted Taking Place in
the North Sea.

London, Aug. 19.-Many rumors of
important occurrences in the theater
Of war have been flooding London in
the past twenty-four hours.
Stories that Brussels has been in
vested by the German army, that the
forts at Liege were evacuated and
dynamited by the Belgians and that
the Austrians have suffered severe
defeat at the hands of the Servians
reached here from unofficial sources.
There was significant silence as
to the progress of the battle said to
have been begun Monday near the
historic field of Waterloo
1.-THE French troops are in contact
with the Germans in Belgium, but
there is no important engagement to
report" reads an official announce
ment issued at the French embassy
in London.
The reports of the dynamiting of
the forts at Liege reached London
from Rotterdam. The message says
that the action of the Belgians was
due to the arrival of Germanys heavy
motor batteries.
A Brussels dispatch to the Mail
says it is learned on the highest au-
thority that on Monday the Liege forts
were holding out They were cut off
from the Franco-Belgian field forces
and surrounded by Germans, but con-
tinued their heroic resistance, the
message said.
Naval Engagement Occurs.
naval engagement occurred early
Tuesday morning in the North sea
100 miles off Harwich, according to
dispatch from that port. The state
tment was not confirmed by the official
press bureau, which, however, de-
clared that a certain liveliness is ap-
parent in the southern area of the
North sea-" ;.
In spite of official assurances that
the big battle has not begun there
came from the Brussels correspondent
of the Daily Express, telegraphing
from Ostend, what purports to be a
description of gigantic conflict. He
had been expelled from Brussels when
the allies order against war CORE
spondents was put into effect and left
the scene Monday.
''The great battle may be said to
have begun on Saturday when an at
tack was made on the French posi-
lions south of the river Meuse near
Dinant. This felt attack, without
much weight, was beaten back.
ION Sunday the real German attack
began in an attempt to strike toward
Waterloo and France. The battle
started with the pushing forward of
cavalry supported by infantry and ar
tillery.
Advance Guard Wiped Out.
'This entire force, as soon as it
came in contact with the Belgians,
was virtually surrounded and it's ad-
vance guards exterminated. The shat
tered fragments fell back on the
massed German armies, waiting to- at
tack.
Later on Sunday the main German
attack began from Saint Trond, eleven
miles east of Tirlemont. The fighting
Ing done on both sides.
by sheer weight of numbers the
Germans finally forced the Belgians
back in their second line. Then the
French came up and heavy firing was
heard all along the line all day Tues
day at Wavre.
1.-THE German advance did not fol-
low any of the main highways. They
cut across these, using the smaller
roads. The Germans were unable to
operate their heavier field artillery.
Encounters, which military histor-
ians month from now may describe
as Reconnaissance in force" are pro-
ceeding all along the border. They
are heralded by both sides as battles
and victories. In history most of them
will rank as incidents.
Waiting for Real Battle.
Two acutely uncertain factors re,
main to be weighed and determined
and until some real battle shall have
given some light, on them there will
be no settled frame of mind in this
country. These are whether the
French army is better than it was in
1870 and whether the Russian army is
better than it was in the Japanese
war. 49,. -.
There is great confidence here in
tfs.Ffeneh* gsfs as staff and great re-