The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-16
FORTY THOUSAND
GERMANS KILLED
Belgian General Staff Says
Killed, Wounded and Miss
ing Will Exceed
This.
LIEGE FORTS UNTAKEN

Darkness Last Night Found the En-
emy Lined up Awaiting the
Coming Terrible
Clash.
[From a United Press Staff Cores
pondent.]
BRUSSELS, Aug. 15.-Darkness
tonight found the allied armies en-
trenched along the line extending
from northern Belgium far into
southeastern Belgian Luxembourg,
maintaining their positions. The Ger
man infantry has been moved for
ward slowly throughout the day but
the cavalry screen, under cover Of
which it is operating, has been un-
able to penetrate the Beigian-French
lines. a
Between Tiremont and Hasselt.
the Belgians assuming the offensive.
have driven the German UhIans back.
The German column working through
Tongres and HasseIt is plainly trying
to enveIop the extreme left wing Of
the allies, presumably to drive part
of it back on the Antwerp fortifica-
tions.
Reports Of the capture Of Diest,
northeast Of Louvain by German In
fantry and artillery are officially de-
MED. The Lieee forts held out in
the face of continuous battering from
the German artillery. General Won
Emmieh. who led the initial unsuc-
cessful assaults on Liese is dead.
some reports say suicide, and Gen.
erai Won Marwiz has assumed the su-
preme command Of the army operat-
ing in northern Belgium.
Only few official reports Of tFs
fighting were permitted to become
public today. The Belgian general
staff realizes the necessity Of abso-
Itue secrecy at this time. But It Is
asserted that the German infantry SO
far in action have not held up as
strongly as expected i, the face Of
artillery fire or when charged by the
BELGIAN cavalry which to date han
borne the brunt of the fighting. The
Germans, army experts say, have
been disheartened by the terrible
slaughter before Liege and In skirsn-
ishinq near Diest, HaeIen and Eghe-
zee where their comrades we're
moved down like wheat. In addition
thev have been almost half starved.
There is now no doubt that the Ger
man commissary department failed to
stand up under the initial test. So
anxious were many commands to get
to the front that they abandoned
their transport and their food sup
plies, expecting to live off the coun-
try something the Belgian arms has
made impossible.
Hut there is no Disgusting the be-
lief that the real fighting is imminent.
Captured German officers quietly as
sert that the German general staff Is
perfectly willing to sacrifice 100000
men If necessary to take the Bel9
and allied armies position and thus
clear the way for the capture OF srus-
sells and the general advance on the
French position at Lille. The Ger
man base Is now at Wise where a
number Of transport bridges have
been thrown across the Meuse, ca
pabie of bringing over the supplies.
In addition the headquarters army,
operating from chapPelle has been
moved to this point and field hospi-
tai with accommodations for 10000
wounded opened. But the majority OF
the wounded are not being kept
there. It Is admitted that their pres
ence would have depressing effect
on the active army and such OF the
wounded as are able to be moved are
beina sent directly through to Col
oone from which city they are d.
We rted to Dusseldorf where an army
suprly base is now located. Reports
to this effect have reached the Eel
clan staff, both from prisoners and
from their secret agents In Germany.
Estimates Of German losses to
date vary. The general staff re-
ports make It as In excess of 4o,oco
In killed, wounded and missing. The
staff believes the total in killed alone
will reach 10000 and other estimates
are from 1000 to 5000 in excess Of
that fioure. The Germans in the vi
cjnity of Liege have been crenating
their dead and throwing others Into
the Meuse river to float out to sea.
The Liege forts are intact. Time
and again the German forces have
to carry the approaches oy
storm, despite the terrible repusses
encountered but never once
fCaptfpuo6 on mage