The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-08-14
BELGIAN ARMY WAS UNDERESTIMATED|
AMERICAN IS
 AUTHORITY FOR
 THE STATEMENT
DECLARES GERMANS PAID HoR- RIBIE PENALTY FOR rHEER AHSTAKR


 1ondon. Aug. 1.-The German army investing sIdege underestimated the lighting qualities of the Deigians and paid a terrible penalty for their dar- ing. in the opinion of Victor H. Duras American yice-consul at Ldege. al quoted by the Brussels correspondent Of the Times Tine correspondent says that Mir. Duras was an eye witness o1 the first two days of the siege which he describes The BeAgfans permitted actually pass the forts in their march on the town and then attacked sin the rear from the forts and on their front with infantry. He estimated the Ger man casualties as from five to ten t6imes as great as those of the defend- CTS.
 sssDeaking as neutral" said MT. Duras according to the Times, cit seems to be part of the new military tactics of the Germans to fight SC much as possible in the night time Comparatively little fighting occurree at Mege during the day.
 .sThe scheme Of the Belgian defense seemed to be not to make any serious resistance to the attack until the Ger man troops were actually past the forts. Then, when they were close up to the town and their several bod ies trying to effect a juncture, fire was opened on them from the forts be- hind and from rifles and u1echine guns in .fr<Rt, so they were caught in a trap and retreat was ctu off. There was nothing for them to do btu to be shot down or surrender,
 sFThe amount of suffering 6n both sides, owing to an inability te deal prenaptly with the wounded was very great but especially to the Germans, whose casualties were from five to ten times as numerous as those among the BeleiaHs.
 sThe Germans paid a, terrible penalty for the bo1dness of their scheme of attack which, from military point of view, gould be justified only by con- vietion on the part of the German the feeblest resistance. The mistake they made was in undertaking the fighting qualities of the peaceful. Bel gians.ss
 The same carnage occurred on the road from Threck to Haelen, where the German cavalry, exposed to the GatIing guns of the Belgians, fell in droves.
 The German infantry and cavalry had a similar reception near, colfae- kin.
 The success Of the Belgian arms is considered here particularly important as most or the Balgian tFaeps partict- pattng had not been under fire be- fore. The Belgian casualties at Haa- len were light in dead as the. troops were we'll entfenehed. but many were wa6nded. 7ers
 The situation, which was somewhat critical Tuesday morning when the German patreis had arrived close to Brussels was held to be rapidly inn preving from the standpoint of the Relgians 24 hours later, ;
 The victory described above was fol- q f,4I ments near Novi11e-T -Taviers and Eghe- zee about nine miles north of Namur On Wednesday and Thursday.
 These operations proved that the Germans are ratreattng further and that the allies being steadily reinforce ed. are respluteIy pushing ahead.
 Brussels is no longer in danger but the situation few days ago was such that the eventuaIity of it's occupation by the Germans was considered.
 London, Aug 141The version given by the official statement issued by the French minister Of war in reference to the fight at V6sgos Mountains be- tween the French department of AAeurthe- et-Aboseile and German LOT raine, differs in some respects from that given by the Exchange Telegraph cehapany.s Ut says:
 ss*An entire section, not division. of the German troops surrendered with their machine g111s.'s
 s.In the course of recent operations g it adds. "a number Of spies have been oeuFtmartiaIled and shot, including the mayor and postmaster of Thann, in lower A1sace.
 Two French battalie44s which had saized the village of Lagarde in Ger man Lrrraine above Avracourt. were dislodged by a superior force of the GeFuan troops and driven back to Xures, in the department of Aheurthe- etzMesel1e, on the road to the fortress of Lunneyille.
 ..The Belgians in the operations around Isiege took more than 2,00O German prisoners and in consequence government has asked France to ar range for their confinement elsewhere.
 sAf various points along the French hontierf the French troops have taken over 1.500 prisoners"
 The Paris correspondent of the Ex- change Telegraph company te1egraphs an official statement issued by the minister of war at the French capital at midnight. Referring to the fight on the ridge of the yosges Mountains he says:
 The French troops held their posi- ti0ns on the mountains for five days despite vigorous attacks of the Ger mans, who were superior in number At one point, the Germans Drought besides their weakened troops. some Formations of reserves, but the latter were unable to resist the French at tack and were obliged to lay down their arms. The entire division sur randeFed.. The French troops swept the valley of the Bruche.''
 
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