The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-10-18

@AOMEONE has most aptly said that the institution is the
 heightened shadow of the
 man and when Herr Alfred
 Krupp died. leaving an army of 20.oo0 workmen in his great gun plant at Essen. his shadow. which re- mained. was one of considerable ex- tension, and its dimensions have been considerably augmented by the recent havoc which the mighty 16-inch (42 centimetres) cannon of the Germans have wrought with the supposedly im- pyegnable Qualifications around Ant &erp.
 The demolition of the defenses of the Belgium's great seaport has a far reaching effect in more aspects than one and 1t now appears that the re- sult of the German siege of that city will revolutionize the methods of war fare in the future. The immediate ef feet of the fall of Antwerp is of vital Importance to the allies for it will en- able the Germans to march into France unobstructed from the north and nec- essarily turning the left wing of the allies will force them back against Paris. Moreover. 1t now becomes n menace to Great Britain of most Threatening import as the distance iron; Antwerp to the nearest English ports is but six or seven hours by the or ftnary ferry steamers and it may be lraversed by the rapid modern men of war in half that time. thus bringing the war to the very threshold of the British isles.
 Antwerp has fallen--a situation which a brief period age military au- thcrities refused to believe rested with in the pale of possibilities. I once spent . fortnight in Antwerp and next to the magnificent docks of the city was rapst interested in Its massive fortifi- cptions which I inspected as far as strangers or civilians are permitted t, examine. I was greatly impressed with the idea that 1t was folly to expend such vast sums of money in the de- fenss of city belonging to such a com para lively small nation as is Belgium and ] marveled at the qualifications and magnitude of the great military achievement. The ramparts appeared to be everywhere and even the passing traveller noted from his car window amending vistas and innumerablc visions of steep ramparts. cannon mourted mounds. threatening glacis. formidable escarpments and counte- esoarpments. The city Is not only the ersenal of Belgium but. was one of the strongest fortresses in all Flu rope Both the town and the river are defended by a number of advanced forts in addition to the interminapie ranlparts, the entire defense covering an area of II miles. TO render as eurance doubly sure the military en- gineers had so constructed the works hs to provide for the placing of DOT. tion of the environs under water and the place was selected to serve as the rendezvous of the entire Belgian army should it be compelled. in case Of ths violation of the neutrality of the coun' try, tp retire before an enemy of su- perior force. A Belgian officer made the sta tement to me that 1t would require ws army of 2sO.00O men to besiege the 4tz successfully and that an entire year would be necessary consumed ere Starvation could effectively reduce the city.
 But Antwerp has succumbed to the big euna of the Germans and the fal- 1acy of Its impregnability has been dt moIistrated. What does this mean Deot tEat the HEitish nor any other na-