The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-05
BELGIUM WILL FIGHT
TO PROTECT RIGHTS
Defiant Attitude I" Shown When
kaiser Demands That His Troops
BE Permitted 10 Pass.
COUNTRY IS VERY INDIGNANT
Little Kingdom vitality Important.
for if Invasion Is Barred, German
Troops Must Enter France Through
Strongly Fortified Territory.


tSpecial Cable to The Times Dispatch
BRUSSELS August 4.-That the Ger
mans have violated hor territory. and
have ignored her neutrality. has in
i"riaied all Belgium II is likely that
she. knowing Great Britain WAS be-
hind her. would have declared war. but
the Kaiser anticipated her.
The senate and Chamber OF Deputies
met I'M joini session to-day Almost
hysterical cheers salutod King Albert,
Is. wearing the uniform Of generals
sumo Of the Belgian forces he assembled
ihe throne. Said tho King sravcly in
his address
Not since 1880 has tho Fatherland
boon exposed TO so grave - dang as
nov faces It, " is a time when Il
united Eelsium must stand shoulder
10 shoulder against a common foe
Every Belgian must accept every
pcSsiolc means OF serving his coun-
NY. 40 sacrilicc is too great +, our
beloved Fathcrland. viii accept tho
responsibility laid upon mo. Our coun-
try has been invaded. Belgium has
proclaimed her integrity. and she will
maintain j, with her last drop of
blood"
FORGETTING Politics.
r'IEV pLEDGI; LoNALTy
Forcctting politics. leaders Of every
political faction made rorvid pa,rioti,,
speeches. assuring tho King ana tho
''hii'l y VI tU''l NcNollO1. Inc IHrltH
credits King Albert asked As he de-
Parted, the assemhacc arose. and with
right hands upliftod - If taking an
oath. declared in solemn chorus:
Belgium will do her duty"
Hermanys second ultimatnm was dc
lNercd by the German minister in HruS-
sells late las; night as the reply Of
Germany 10 the refusal OF Bcl2ium to
acccdc 10 iermany's first ultimatum
In her second note Germany declared
that IL Belgium adopted 4 hostile atti-
tude against the German troops and
put difficulties in the way of their adj
vance Germany would he Obliged to
consider Belgium as an enemy. In that
case Germany would not enter into any
nndertakiue with Belgium, but would
leave the final relations of the two
states TO the decision OF arms"
To this King Albert replied that un-
der no circumstances would Belgium
consent TO the violations OF her neu-
tralitN, and bclligcrcntly announced
that the army would oppose Gerinany's
passage so long as man is left alive.
y state Of siege was declared to-day
AZ tho fortified position Of licvc.
Namur and Antwerp. The Bc,eian
army is being mobiiizod with great
precision and activity.
German troops have crossed tho from
Ter IT Gemmerieh. near the junction of
the Dutch, Belgian and German from
BELGIUM VITALITY
IMPORTANT IN WAR
The vital Importance of Belgium in
y war between France and Germany
lies IN the fact that unless Germany
may move across Belgian territory.
meutrali2ed by treaty, an invasion OF
france would have to be through the
heavily fortified French frontier proper.
The entire northwestern frontier Of
France Is roughly 40 miles in length.
FOR distance Of about $50 miles this
frontier line. separates France from
belgium and Luxembourg. The rs-
mhindcr, about 100 miles, separates
france from German territory.
With the neutrality OF Belgium oh
served. the scene of action would he
reduced TO the splendidly fortified
Franco German frontier proper.
This line OF defense runs, broadly
speaking. from Ncrduu to Nancy IN
itnlnhl 10 Eclfort ana TO Bcsaucon
'ach ono III these cities is The centre
ol d group OF notifications extending
no'thWcsi and southeast. and All fn,-
ine the German border. Each has IFS
outposts and it's thanking protection
ana the line is said to be Virtually con
tnuouS for the greater part OF the
entire. distance between LuxcmburS
and tho Swiss border.
Behind this line of Notifications
broadly speaking. running parallel
from Rheims TO Chalons aud &c VerIlur'
ana from ChalonS to i.auGrcS. to Dion
AMI 10 Bcsaucon.
THIS second line of protection is from
so to TO miles from rsris aud Tho
rouehly speaking: from 40 to 30
miles from the French capital. The
FRENCH frontier from tho strait OF
Dover 20 German territory, The iLro
winch separates France from Bc!vinm
Ind luNemhurc, also is well protected.
Eium IS Ia effect going around the