The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1914-08-15

Nv OSAo1 AZ ASceoA ~ ~
Belgium and Served in
Army.
"The next great battle in the Eu-
ropean war will probably be at Water
loo," declared Father Alphonse Ketels,
of the Church of the Nativity, of Biloxi,
who is as familiar with the war zone OF
Europe as most citizens of this city are
with the map of Biloxi, says the Biloxi
Herald.
Father Alphonse, who is native OF
Belgium, is watching every move in the
world d-war with intense interest and has
practically every detail in the vast crisis
at his finger tips. His opinion of the
possibility of history repeating itself in
gigantic battle at Waterloo is based
on the present maneuvers of the allie
armies of Europe in the struggle
against the emperor of the Germans.
"Yes," added Father Alphonse, deep
in the study of the movements of the
armies of Europe, sit would not sur
prise me if the next great battle should
be fought On the same battle grounds
where Napoleon met his Waterloo"
DEFENSE OF LIEGE.
The defense of Liege by the men OF
King Albert's army has thrilled the
entire world and Father Alphonse's
description of that city, made MEM
orable by the German Belgian conflict,
is one of the most interesting explain
ations of the Belgians heroic defens e
thathas yet appeared in print.
Father Alphonse declares Emperor
William, whom he is inclined to call the
mad Kaiser,' made the first and most
important strategic mistake of the Eu-
ropean war when he sent a portion of
his army, 10000 strong, to take the
city of Liege.
"Liege is well-nigh impregnable, I"
declared Father Alphonse, who is
thoroughly familiar with this strong
hold of the Belgians by reason of the
fact that he served for five years in the
Belgian army and was stationed for
some time at one Of the forts of Liege.
He declared that Emperor Williams
army might have been enabled to have
occupied Liege had the German hosts
been sent to the rear of the city from
the west.
GERMAN INVASION.
The Germans invaded Liege from the
east, crossing the river Meuse, in the
face of calling fire. How the bridge
across this river was destroyed by the
Belgians and the subsequent attempts
of the Germans to cross on pontoon
bridges is matter of history.
Father Alphonse, however, on account
of his residence in that city in his early
manhood, has kept up with the march
of the German forces and knows what
parts of the city they now occupy.
Liege, a city of many thousands of in
habitants and one of the most important
communities of Belgium, is surrounded
on three sides by mountains, on which
modern fortresses were erected some
time ago, according to Father Alphonse.
The river Meuse runs through the city
of Liege and on each side of this stream
is boulevard, the street on the west
side Of the stream being known as the
Boulevard p, Avroy.
GERMANS IN VALLEY.
The Germans according to the latest
press dispatches occupy this boulevard
and St. Lambert square, into which the
boulevard runs. The army of the Kaiser
is in control of the Cathe dral, the Royal
theatre and the palace, but they have
not as yet succeeded in capturing any
forts. One of the forts was destroyed
by the Belgians themselves.
aThe German army is surrounded on
three .sides," declares Father Alphonse
.sThe forts stationed on the mountains
on which q portion of the city is built
thus hem in the Germans on three sides
With a mere handful of men, in COM
parison with the invading German
army, they have poured forth a hot fire
on the army of the Kaiser, moving the
Germans down like wheat. They have
modern guns and equipment and are
practically impregnable.''
/ RESISTANCE UNEXPECTED.
Father Alphonse stated that in his
Iopinion the leader did not anticipate
any resistance from the Belgians
The Kaiser's army believed it would
be enabled to pass through Belgian
territory without being molested and
would thus enter France.
ssBut for the resistance of the Bel
gians at Liege the German army
might have been in Paris at the pres
lent time," said Father Alphonse.
Father Alphonse. received newspa-
per from Belgium dated on July 26