The Washington times., 1914-10-10

guns poured shrapnel ano explosives IN,
to the city, and airship raids created
frequent diversion.
Prom midnight until dawn. the roar
af guns and the dull explosions of shells.
With a spattering of infantry fire was
uninterrupted. There was A little res
pite in the morning. but toward noon
the fire was resumed with increased
fury. From that time there was no let
Up
Fully fifty thousand refugees from
Antwerp fed to Rozendaal in Holland,
twenty-five miles away. They watched
and listened all Thursday night, while
the sky REDEEMED with flames, and the
dull boom Of big guns vas constant.
Oil Tanks Ignited.
Oil tanks along the river front were
the first TO blaze
It Is estimated that the Germans had
in play 200 guns of all calibers up to
the dread 42-centimeter cannon that de-
nlolished Liege, Namur, and Maugeuge.
They poured destruction upon the great
seaport.
on tanks along the river bank were
the rirst to go. They flared up early
Thursday morning. sending out d red
glow and great pail of dense black
ing yellow flames were added here and
there as exploding shells fired dwellings
or public buildings.
Refugees say that the great Southern
railway station was among the first
buildings to go. 1t was destroyed COM
pieteIy4 The palace of justice, Antwerp's $
law courts building. the hipprodrome,
and other great buildings were shatter-
ed.
The populace those who could not es-
cape, took refuge in cellars, preferrins
TO face the danger of their homes fall
ing in upon them, rather than the terri
flying death-dealing explosive shells and
bombs.
During it all, Zeppelins hovered above
the city, most of them, ii is believed Civ
ing range signals to the German bat
teries. but many of them cropping
bombs internationally with awesome ef-
feet.
In the surrounding country, villages,
scattered between the three rings of for
tificatIons. suffered heavily. Stray shells
wrought havoc and many of them were
fired by exploding shells, sending up a
column of smoke to add to the pail that
still hangs over Antwerp.
Throughout it all the men who fought
valiently at Liege, Namur and Mons,
Tselgiums finest, who have tasted the
bitterness of defeat after defeat, kept
on in desperation. They repelled the early
German sorties, but in vain. Their ranks
thinnned rapidly.
Wreckage Buries Men.
They worked their guns in the for
ttlcations until guns and men were
buried under the wreckage. British
naval guns encircling the inner forts
and the howitzers about the city were
still barking back defiance, when the
surrender came.
The German advance was irresistible,
however. Some of the forts about Ant
Werp still hold against them, but they
are isolated. l.-
Some of the outer forts. Waelhem.
Boeschkem, and others in the outer
rings, show nothing but great holes in
the ground, filled with debris of crum-
hled concrete and masonry and twisted
steel. Not wall remains.
When these forts fell the German in
fantTy, in a supreme effort. threw
force across the Scheldt under remark
bic conditions. They were under the
fire of the inner forts and the Belgian
field guns. AS fast as they advanced
engineer forces with pontoons were
slain. but they kept on coming. They
reached the bank and held, but could
make no progress. Then, throwing
themselves on the river they swan
across with their pontoons, while the
river ran red about them.
In the bombardment of the city anti
oombardment flags prescribed by The
Hague convention failed to save build
lngs used as hospitals. and the tales
Of refugees are narrowing.
The force that took Antwerp was a
heavy one. far outnumbering the gar
rison All of this force has not entered
the city.