New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-24
London Military Observ-
ers Say German Army
Is in Bad Position.
PATIENCE or ALLIES
MAY BE REWARDED
If Kaiser's Troops Lose, After
Nibbling at Conquest BAIT
AnnihilatiOn Is Sure.
fgy cabl. m THE Tribune J

London. Aug -. ] ne iililIIa'f
respondent OF "The Standard writes
as follows:
"jt Is true that in the course OF
few DAYS Northern Belgium mas pc
come German province, and ~ tna1
change had occurred as the result o.
picked battle between the invaders GIu
the allies there would be nced TOT
much concern. but there has oeeh no
battle. with the exception oil the com
bat AT Dinart. IN which the "eTmaus
were worstcd. The French ana yer
man armies have not been IN Cio'r
contact ON the contrary, m Belgium
all the lighting has been between Pc
g.aus and Germans, and though "
latter gained ground they lost heaVlilX
i'm men and material, and, what is sun
moro important at tins Juhc'uIe'
prestige. III.
THE Germans have not been aole
even 20 dispose OF the belgian Helu
army that was forced TO retire INTO an
intrenched camp al Antwerp Prac,'-
callv uninjured and m condition 10
constitute serious menace 70 tne Ger
man flank The Germans have taken
Liege and will push am army that may
number anything between 2oO'oOo ahu
forward west Of Brussels. Win Llege
silenced. the passage Of the MeuSe wa
undisputcd.
German Movement Risky.
"Appgrently IL suits the plans OF the
allies That the German right flank COM
mi, itself to action on the left bank OF
tho Neusc. \ glance at the map WIN
enable the merest layman TO perceive
the risks Of such a movement.
ION the centre Of the northern hanN
If this army lies Antwerp, 10 all m
tents and purposes an impregnaDle
stronghold. sheltering a powerful mo-
bile force waiting for the opportunity
10 strike. On the southern hanH'
TRUSTING into II like the point OF
sword. is the fortress OF Namur, pe-
hind which. I'm all probability. are con
centrated strong allied forces. and inc
allied line possibly extends westward
from Namur along Sambre, through
Nanbeugc and Nalenciennes 70 LHle'
an iutrenched camp covering the nahH'
"The allies. no doubt, are awaiting
attack along this line in strongly m
trenchcd positions Of their own choos-
inc and where the Germans swing
around 10 attack their flank they VIII
invite counter stroke from the neigh
borhood of Namur and IN front OF Ant
werp. too. unless an army has been de-
tailed TO keep the Belgian force IN
check
Wav TO Victory for Germans.
"Rpt i. would be madness for the
Germans to attack on this line unless
prepared simultaneously 70 force tne
whole line from Namur to Givet ana
beyond. If that coup could be erected
then a successful development OF we
allied left would give the Germans de
cisivc victory and throw the allieu
armies back on Paris and cut OF me
British from their present sea base;
con the other hand. failure Won al
most certainly involve the German
right in utter disaster, for the ailles
would be quick TO take a counter Of
fensivc. and if the Germans, after pc
ing checked. are hurled back they VIII
never effect a rccrossing Of the Meuse'
"Tu-ntghts news indicates that the
Germans have begun their attacks
their guns hammerlng al Namur. CoI-
umns are reported on the road 10
Mons. Nalcncieunes and Lille, and
TELEGRAM from France records lighting
i'm the ncighboThood Of Charlerol.
front o. between sixty and seventy
miles is covered by these reports ana
the presence of German columns on
the roads leading TO Nalenclennes m
dicates that the enemy IS swinging
around 20 the left i'm the manner
sroken Of above. We shall probaoly
hear tomorrow that the first big oattle
Of the war has been gained and that
Il extends all along the front men
toned and long way south Of Namur'
possibly as far az Longwy.
Battle May BE Long.
"Thc light is likely to last several
DAYS. and we shall get but scanty news
Of its progress. The Germans are in
desperate straits, with the Russians
laundering against the rear, and Will
make a supreme effort to snatch de-
cisive victory, and il will need all the
stanchest courage and skill Of the
allies 10 stem the headlong rush or
their big battalions. The moment
therefore is critical.
THE news from the eastern theatre
of war is excellent. The Servians are
not only occupying the attention or
large number OF Austrians, but also are
iuAicting severe punishment on them
II would seem a If the Dual Monarchy
were destined to play but a small part
in the principal theatre of war
THE Russian advance into Prussia
goes on steadily, even rapidly. There
haS been heavy fighting, IN which the
Germans were invariably worsted. To-
nights kilograms speak Of severe de-
feat for three Germany army corps
that is. 10000 men. Such progress
will soor have its effect on the western
operations. but not before the Germans
have PLAYED for all il is worth the tre-
mendous coup described above. For
that reason IL Is difficult Just now 70
take the proper amount Of interest IN
the doiugs Of the Russian army
The military correspondent of The
Daily News" writing at o'clock last
night. said:
"The long expected battle IN Bel
GUM. for which the allies have been
preparing with better appreciation OF
the strategical situation than that
shown by the German General staff,
is now IN progress. After wasting
time in going out Of their way TO
Brussels, I'm oyerrunnlng Northern BEL
GUM. i'm menacinG Client. and thinking
whether they should or should not in
vest Antwerp. the Germans suddenly
pulled themselves together on Saturday
morning and began 10 see that the
time for bluff mad passed away and
that the time 10 fight had arrived.
Having watched from his headquar-
tiers at Charleroi the eccentric course
Of the German march around his right
flank without showing his hand till now
General Joffre appears 70 have decided
that the time was ripe 20 strike, and,
according TO reports now coming along,
he has struck with an energy which Is
all the more marked because IT has
been so long pent up in the bosoms Of
the French soldiers massed behind the