Arizona republican., 1914-10-10
BeIuium Center of Interest


 LONDON. Oct. 9.-Belgium is once more the center of military interest, for not only is its army battling for it's life behind the fortreSSes of Ant werp, but the battle line in France has struggled northward until it has crossed her frontier at Armentieres and may yet join the beleaguered Belgians. The extent of damage dcne at Antwerp is not known, for the only accounts available concern ing the bombardments are from per- sons who watched from a distance.
 That the fighting was desperate there can be no doubt, for the Bel gian army, driven from the first line of forts, took up a good position behind the second line and prepared tc offer desperate resistance. On the battle line in France the German and French reports agree there has been no change in the situation, although the French claim they have made some progress near St. Mihiel in the ArgOnne forest.
 According to German report. railway and telegraph communica- tion with Antwerp has been inter- rupted. It is reported also that the King of the Belgians was slightly wounded. The severing of communi- cation had been expected, for the Germans have been directing their attacks at points of ingress to and egress from the city, at the same time dropping shells into the town itself A portion of the town is re- ported to have been destroyed. The ty-tWo-centimeter guns made short work of the great Brailmont forts and lesser ones are now en- gagged in destroying the city, which, under the provisions of The Hague convention, was given due notice be- fore the bombardment began
 The defenders, even in their well protected entrenchments, are said to be unable to avoid the shell fire, which is described as terrific, and which is said to fall always in the right spot.
 The Zeppelin airships, too, have played their part in the fray, and bombs from them add to the terror. It is reported that one of these air ships was brought down last night, but the statement originated from q person who said he saw it from q distance The German advance through the gap they opened in the southeastern section of the outer line of forts has been likened to prairie fire, devouring every village and building in it's path.
 The correspondent of the London Post at Antwerp. in describing the events preceding the bombardment, says:
 About a month ago the German commanders began to realize the dan ger of having the Belgian army oc- cupying fortified position which continually threatened German lines of communication. The Germans threw out feelers to ascertain if Bel gium would agree to keep her army in Antwerp in return for the German promise not to attack the town.
 The Belgians indignantly rejected all such proposals and replied by gallant sorties, which, however, fail ed of complete success. The taking of AlOSt renewed the German Heces- sty for an aggressive campaign against the Belgians which began after further German proposals for an agreement were rejected by the Belgians.
 Accordingly, the Germans brought up some of their heaviest field pieces and opened with the bombardment of Malines.
 For a week afterward the Ger mans each day bombarded some
 lCnntinued on Pa pn Sixl