New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-10-14
OSTEND HEARS BIG
CUNS.OF GERMANS
People Struggle to Leave
Port, Believed Doomed
i'm Few Hours.
(By Wireless via Louisburg, N. 8. via
London.)

(By Wireless via Louisburg, N. 8. via
London.)
On the boat from Ostcnd (via Lon
dom, Oct. 13.--Ostend is in imminent
danger Of occupation By the Germans.
In all probability il is only a matter
of hours before the port will share the
fate which has overtaken Brussels and
Antwerp, though not. it is hoped, that
of Termonde and Louvain.
The Ostend quay at ) o'clock this
morning was crowded with people, who
had been there many hours, waiting
for chance to get on board any or
the numerous boats bound for Eng
land. Il was an exodus almost Is great
and hurried as that which Antwerp
witnessed few days ago, although on
the quay there were lacking the dis
tressing scenes which accompanied the
retreat OF the population further
north.
At the Care Maritime there must
have been 5000 people, standing IN
long queues, waiting 10 get 10 the
wharf The crowd increased in volume
as the hours passed, and at $3.50 the
first boat came alongside. The gang
ways were put in place and the rush
on board began. The steamer illed
quickly and moved off, but the waiting
crowd apparently was as big rs ever.
An hour later the second boat was in
position and again the rush took place.
Children Trampled On.
Such officials as were visible los.
their heads and people were badly hurt
in the crpsh. Two poor children fell
and were trampled on. II was impossi-
Bile TO move. so dense was the throng
The steamer was crowded with such a
mass Of humanity on both the upper
and lower decks and the cabins that
there was no distinction OF class. Every
vestige of organization had disep-
peared. There we're no stewards on
board or anything to eat or drink.
Almost all these poor people were
fleeing for refuge. There were whole
families, among them many small chill
dren. How they are to be provided
for in such numbers in England is a
problem. Some have money, though
not much. Others have nothing left
but the clothes on their backs and a
few things in their bundles. No coun-
try can ever have been more desolated
than Belgium has by this war. As an
Antwerp man on board said, There is
no longer any Belgium"
As the boat moved out of Ostend
German Taube aeroplane few over IT
and dropped bomb which fell into the
sea. It was apparently intended for
The docks Many hundred shots were
tired at il, but il was too high 20 be
within range of rife fire. The passen-
gers, CHEEKY TO the last, shouted 'hur-
rah for England, Hurrah for France.
Down with the Germans
Fighting Close to Coast.
Fighting is going on quite close TO
the sea coast. The sound OF guns was
loud as the boat steamed away. Move
ments have been so rapid in Belgium
during the last four or five days that
the people in the west of Belgium have
been more or less taken by surprise.
They had become accustomed 70 the
sound OF guns and reports of an en-
gagement close al hand. 1t is only
row in Client, Bruges, Ostend and the
intervening villages that the whole
population suddenly has realized that
the occupation of these districts Is
practically immediate. If they wish 70
get away they must do so at once and
there Is only one way out, BY steamer
from Ostend.
The Germans fully intend 70 occupy
the whole Of Belgium and establis 81
themselves on the coast at Ostend, Zee
brugge and Dunkirk, whence they will
probably attempt operations agalnst
England, possibly by means OF Yep
relins and aeroplanes.