The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-10-14
AIRCRAFT DESTROY
AlgsHIP ATTACKS CREATES PANIC
IN BESIEGED CITY.
DEFENCE IS DESPERATE

The Beligians Are Confident That tht
Germans Can Never Take Theil
City.-krupp Guns Are Winning
Fight for Inyaders.-Populace Re
gains Courage Shaken by Bombs.
The fighting around Antwerp ha:
been battle of Krupps against men
Every day and night the fighting has
continuedwith deadly effect agains
the forts, while the shrappel ant
shell have mado many of the trenche:
untenable. In their present position
the Germans, even with their SECOND
largest guns, are able to reach the
city.
The condition of panic among the
populace was increased Thursday b.
the appearance at eleven o'clock II
the morning and at three in the after
noon of German air crafG which drop
ped bombs, destroying seven house:
and killink a score Of people.
At the same time six Zeppelin dir
igibles flew over the city, dropping
bombs, but it has been impossible as
yet to ascertain the damage they
have done.
After the Zeppelins' successful at
tack the large avenue leading to the
railroad station quickly became
black with struggling mass of per
sons eager to escape from the city
It was a pathetic sight to see the poor
people, some carrying on their backs
their hopelessly MANNED or idiotic
relatives.
Tie situation quickly changed
While at two o'clock even grown men
were weeping with terror and fight.
ing for places around the railway
station, at six o'clock everybody was
again certain that the forces would
be able to hold out against the Ger
mans and even throw them back
across the river Nethe.
There is an air of quiet confidence
that the Germans will never capture
the city. Numbers of the forts are
still holding out with stubbornness
and the threatened ibombardment is
desperate. maneuver to try and
force them to capitulate in order to
save the city from damage.
For some days flags with red and
white diagonal stripes have flown
from the tops Of churches and other
buildings, those on the Cathedral and
St. Jacques tower being especially
conspicuous. These flags indicate
that the buildings serve no military
end. 1t is stated that the Germans
have promised to spare as much as
possible the buildings not devoted to
military purposes. All the lights in
the town are extinguished at dusk
and the shops close at six in the eve
ming.
All eyes are trained on the city OF
Antwerp. whose fate is regarded as
important out of all proportion to the
numbers of men engaged in its attack
and defence. Germany must not only
keep an open door into France, 1t is
argued, but she must be prepared to
close the back door to Essen, a most
Important German military center, in
case the long and stubborn fight OF
Gen. Won KIuck, commander of the
German right wing, ends in disaster
The war has presented no picture
of greater desolati6n than that OF
the hosts of refugees fleeing from the
last Belgian stronghold. Throngs OF
citizens Of Antwerp, dumb with ter
ror as the huge German shells hurtle
over their heads with the roar of an
express train, are fleeing toward Eng
land and Holland in such numbers
that the hospitality of those countries
is likely to be taxed to the utmost.
The fight of these refugees has
been accelerated by the appearance
over the city Of Zeppelin airships
dropping destruction and death.
The only ray Of hope from the al
lies standpoint is found in the news
that the almost exhausted garrison
Of Antwerp has been reinforced by
fresh troops and more guns.
Up to the present time only one
great German siege gun has been
brought into play and that piece Of
artilley is fired only at infrequent in
tervals. Guns half the size of the
destroyers of Liege and Namur are
being used in the work of batterine
the rings Of forts which surround
Antwerp.
Both sides confirm the report thai
the Germans have succeeded in cross
ing the river Nethe, but the trenche:
along the river Sche1dt are still hold
ing out against their determined at
tacks.
The German offensive movement /!
now approaching the inner ring o.
forts and Berlin reports in the oper
field four heavy batteries. 81 flelt
~,