The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-20
ANTWERP |s.DEADCITY,
WITH HsPEOPLE CONE
Correspondent Finds Stricken Town
Guarded by Biuejackets and
Marine Infantrymen.
LESS DAMAGE THAN EXPECTED
Destruction Usually Confined to IN
diyidual Houses at Widely Scat
tered, Points--Belgian Defense Coll
lapses When the Nethe Is Crossed.

ANTWERP tvia London), October
100000 p. LION his arrival in Ant.
werp the Associated Press correspond
entN found the city guarded by blaze
Jackets and marine infantrymen from
Iund Wilhelmshaven.
Detachments of sailors among them.
recruited from the German merchant
marine. were armed only with cutinsses
I'ant revolvers. They lay several weeks
behind the army. taking no part In the
lighting, and evidently are. destined for
sea duty after the capture OF port.
German staff officers assured theicor-
respondent that the German com
mander. General Won Beszler, had found
easy victory i'm his campaign where
hard fighting was expected. and des-
perate resistance where little trouble
had been anticipated The officers said
Antwerp had fallen eight days earlier
than expected. the Belgians evidently
being disheartened by their nine weeks
or defeat, and also because of the easy
manner in which the fortified positions
behind the River Nethe were carried
October 6and Z.
CITY SUFFERS LESS
THAN WAS EXPECTED
AS the correspondent drove through
miles of tile streets of Antwerp, the
city seemed to have suffered less than
haze been believed. Indications of
damage wrought by the German shells
were observed in all quarters. but the
destruction usually was confined TO in
divfdual houses at widely scattered
points
AT German headquarters 1t was said
this met was due to the definite plan
oil the Germans to convince Antwerp
with minimum of damage that
further resistance was useless. The
heavy twelve and sixteen-inch guns,
II was stated, were not used against
the city proper, but shells from the
smaller mortars were dropped through
out the place. n few In each section.
until every quarter had been syste-
matically visited.
How accurately the public buildings
were avoided seemed to have been
proven By Il shell hole in the pave
ment at the side entrance to the City
Hall, and In the destruction Of house
across tho street from that building.
The Church OF Our Lady, the pride
of Antwerp, has a hole eight or ten
feet in diameter In one transept win
dow, and in an adjoining wall thisty
feet above the floor. Otherwise, this
edifcc was not damaged.
The artillery used by the Germans
before Antwerp was stronger than was
generally known. In addition to their
widely heralded sixtcen-inch morturs
and large number OF twclve-inch
siege guns, they had two Austrian
automobile batteries OF twelve guns.
EFFECp OF BIG GUNS
IS VERY STRIKING;
The effect of the big guns on
Antwerp's outer fortihcations was
more striking than at Liegc. Two
arinored turrets at Fort dc Wavre- st.
Catherine were put out OF action with
a single shot their steel beds being
broken In two aud the heavy masses
of metal hurled five or six yards away.
In another fort the concrete embank-
inent was pierced and tho steel turret
uprooted.
German staff officers say that when
the River Nethc was crossed tho Bel
Eian defense virtually collapsed. The
Belgians- abandoned thee. heavy artil-
lery and machine guns. while the Ger
mans intrenched themselves, expecting
u counter attack.
The officers declare that after eighty
German shells had been dropped in
various quarters OF Antwerp, the white
flag appeared on fortys six and seven
on the inner girdle of Qualifications.
The burgomaster of the city then came
out and offered to surrender Antwerp,
but was told that the terms of capitu-
lation could he arranged only with the
Belgian military authorities. The bur
gomasters plea that these officers
could not be found led to an order for
n suspension of the attack.
The German troops then pushed in
through the girdlY of inner posts and
pnst tho undefended city wall. finding
that the retiring garrison had blown
up the bridge across the River Scheldt.
and also had interposed n belt of flame
against The invaders by firing the oil
tanks ana covering the surface of the
river with burning oil.
Antwerp is n dead city. The popu-
lace has fled and tho streets deserted
Collier Leaves for Honolulu
NORFOLK, October 1g.--With a car
go, of structural steel In her hold and